Purgatory's Soul
by Riza Winters
Summary: War in Purgatory. It had started in seconds. And it had started because of him. With monsters hunting him on all sides and in a moment of pain and despair, Dean reaches out a hand to the enemy and willingly makes himself a prisoner as a last hope of surviving. But what is the price of life? Meanwhile Sam hunts down every last friends he can to help him find a way to bring Dean back
1. Chapter 1

War in Purgatory. It had started in seconds. And it had started because of him.

The one thing that should never be in a world of the dead, the undead and everything in between.

A living, human soul.

"Dean!"

His body convulsed as the bone snapped back into place. He screamed. He couldn't contain it any longer- none of it. The running, the exhaustion, the starvation and when he collapsed back into the dry dirt of the cavern, his body didn't stop shaking, vain tears slid from his eyes and streaked through crusted sweat.

"Hey, stay with me kid." The colourless face swam in his vision, a cold hand fell to his heated forehead but the leak of tears didn't let up.

"I can't do it, Bobby." He grabbed hold of that old worn plaid shirt that had followed the ghost of his friend even here.

"You just have to hold on. Sam will find a way to pull you back and you know it."

"Bullshit!" He held Bobby even tighter. "I'm going to die here."

"And if you let that happen, then you really will be stuck here forever, Dean. Now buck up! I'll be damned if I watch you turn into a monster too."

_A monster. _After all those years of fighting the things that go bump in the night, Bobby had ended up as one of them. Just barely slipping into the realm of vengeful spirits had apparently been enough to warrant Bobby Singer an eternity in Purgatory. If Dean had known that, he would never have burned that flask.

He let his fingers slide from that comforting fabric to the dusty cave bottom and tried to raise his head up to look down his body. He just gasped out in further pain and dropped his head back none to gently, letting it roll to one side, away from those dead but judgemental eyes.

"They broke my fucking leg, Bobby. I'm literally done running."

They'd done more than that to him. The monsters of Purgatory had run him ragged through that forest of eternal night until he'd stumbled into a desert of endless light. Finally he'd collapsed in this in-between realm of stoney dry earth and grey light. With his own blood he'd managed to smear enough symbols on the walls to keep himself protected from the things he knew about. The trouble was, this world was teaming with things he didn't know about, things he could not protect himself from.

It had been one of those things that had just got a hold of him while he made a break for water. He hadn't even really seen it, just a blur of grey skin and green eyes. It had gone for his leg on purpose, it had wanted to immobilize him. The old break from the leviathan had made the job easier for it too. The bone was weaker and gave when it had struck him.

It was a growing trend in his attackers- to wound rather than kill. It was much more disturbing than it was a comfort. They all wanted him. The last human. Ghouls wanted him to eat. Vamps to drink. Almost any creature in this realm had a taste for living flesh and the motivation that he could make them stronger than their rivals. And that was why as much as he was a target, so was everything else. Competition. They all wanted him, and the only reason they didn't already have him, was because they couldn't stop fighting themselves long enough to make a concentrated effort on capturing him.

But when the cold hand ran through his hair and down his back before hoisting him up into a sitting position, he realized there were two other reasons he was still not captured: a ghost who had found him within hours of his arrival, and an angel who, when it suited him, would show up with food, or water, or garbled information that might just save his life.

"I'm sorry Bobby." Dean swallowed back the despair as he leaned against his old friend. It was still an unsettling feeling, having those dead hands around him, feeling no breath or beat of heart when his head leaned against his chest.

Ghosts were not the wispy ephemeral creatures they were on Earth. Why should they be here? They were solid corpses, could even bleed, but were still very capable of phasing in and out at will. Bobby had taken strides in developing his after-life powers, but they were barely enough to fight off individual creatures that made an attempt to get Dean. If anything ever made a consolidated effort, Bobby would not be able to stop them, and in fact, might even be destroyed by them as well.

Neither Dean nor Bobby were very sure on how things worked here. Bobby had barely crossed over himself before he felt the rippled in the atmosphere that had alerted the entire world that Dean Winchester had arrived.

And since then they'd been too busy running to stop and ask questions.

"Hey Bobby? Do you think my mom is here? Or my dad?" He breathed into the other's chest while Bobby worked at pulling his jacket off. He must have noticed the red stain bleeding through near his ribs.

"Dammit Dean, why didn't you say anything?" The ghost muttered when he lifted his shirt and saw the deep tears in his skin surrounded by purple bruising.

"Bobby? Do you think they're here?"

"No. Or they would have come running like I did."

"Unless they don't remember. Maybe being here makes you forget."

"Thanks, that's a cheery thought."

"Sorry."

"Listen, Dean, the ghosts here don't like that I've branched out in the friend department, it's why they keep pulling my soul back to them. It's getting harder to resist."

"I know." He grunted when Bobby lay him back down, the dirt cold against his bare back. Bobby sparingly poured a brown liquid from a flask onto the wound. It was one of the many things Cas had brought to the cave with the promise that it would sterilize cuts. He had not offered any explanation as to where it came from or what it was before disappearing again.

"What I'm trying to say, is one of these times those bastards might trap me for good."

"You can't let them."

"It ain't that simple."  
"Make it that simple." Dean had no idea what happened to Bobby every time a cold wind blew over them and his friend was simply gone. All he knew was that the ghosts of Purgatory kept to themselves and wanted to keep it that way. After a couple of days, though, Bobby would make his way back to Dean. That's how Dean had gotten hurt this time. Bobby had been gone for three days, and just got back in time to throw that thing off of him and haul him back in here.

"Have you seen Cas since I was gone?" Bobby asked to change the subject.

"Yeah."

"And?"

"He brought me a sandwich. I have no idea what was in it."

"Did you eat it?"

"Yeah I was friggin' starving."

"Did he say anything?"

Dean turned quiet.

"What is it, Dean?"

"You're gonna kill me."  
"What?"  
"I tried to zap him back."

"WHAT?"

"I got thinking about it when you were gone. I thought that I'm probably going to die here and be no good to anyone, so why leave that poor son of a bitch here to suffer. I figured if I used the blood sigil, he'd zap back to heaven and be out of here."

"And? Did it work?"

"Nothing. Same reason he says he can't heal me, he's cut off from Heaven here."

"And yet he can still zap in and out of here whenever he wants."

"Yeah."

"I don't care how marbles he is, he should be here helping us."  
Bobby finished patching up the wound. At least Cas had left them some clothe for just such a purpose. Then he pulled Dean up again and redressed him. The young man was practically limp now, the pain in his leg and toll on his body was too much.

"I gotta make you a splint or something." He muttered, but Dean was already passed out.

* * *

"Is he alive?"

"Must be if that ghost was so intent on protecting him. Check him."

Hazel eyes flew wide as hot pain dragged down his arm. Dean jerked awake, disorientation and the fog of a fever keeping him from making sense of the scene for several long seconds.

"Mmm, a bit overcooked but that shouldn't matter. He's still delicious."

Dean recoiled when he finally saw the three females crouched over him. He couldn't identify their species right away but they looked human enough to him, even if they stood low and crouched, their bodies barely covered by the crudest of means and their dark, knotted hair more like a horse's mane than a pony's tail.

The one closest to him was licking thick crimson from her fingers and Dean just now saw the stream of blood down his arm. They'd cut him open for a taste.

"Bitch." He tried to shift back but she grabbed his arm and held it up to her mouth, sucking on the open wound. "Get off of me!" But any struggle he put up was in vain and when one stomped down on his broken leg he screamed out and saw flashes of white on black.

"Hey! Save some for me!" His arm was let go for a second before grabbed fiercely by another.

"Screw that!" The two fell into one another in a violent scrambled. Dean did his best to roll onto his side and move toward the cave entrance.

"I don't think so." The third grabbed his collar and halted his movement. "No, you're my dinner, I'm not letting you go anywhere."

"Fuck you."  
His face slammed into the dirt. He felt more blood seep out of him from his nose. There was a sickening crunch behind him. One of the three were dead- their feud over him a microcosm of the war he'd caused between the races in all of Purgatory.

"Idiot. You killed one of your own." The she-creature above him hissed and the weight at his back lifted. At once began crawling forward on his stomach, as desperate and pathetic as it may have looked. There was a second horrible crack and then the hand was on his back and rolling him over despite his cry of pain.

"Well, at least I have you all to myself now. Let's see how you taste."

Rather than going for one of the wounds he already had, she opened a mouth of sharp teeth and leaned over his thigh. She wasn't just going to take his blood, she was going to take a bite. He braced himself but before sharp ivory cut flesh, a cold voice unexpectedly stopped her.

"Don't you dare spill another drop of his precious blood."

Dean's breath caught, the faint light that entered his cave was blocked by several more figures, these ones calm faced, clean dressed, but stopped at the very edge of his cave. They must be one of the creatures he had used protection against. A moment later, he had his answer.

"Ha! Stupid Vampires, you can't get in here." The beast above him cackled, though she crouched even lower, her back arching as if ready to pounce. Dead Man's blood. Dean hadn't been sure when he'd cut open Bobby's arm and buried the ghostly blood at the cave entrance that it would make any difference. He still wasn't sure it would, but the Vamps were stopped dead the cave mouth.

"No. But the human can get out." One answered calmly. Back-lit by the constant low-light and in contrast to the darkness of the cave, Dean could make out very little of his features other than a stern gaze and dark skin.

The creature's grip on him tightened. "He's not going anywhere. He's mine to eat."

"Oh, I beg to differ." The leader of the group answered calmly. He leaned as close as he could get and smiled gently down at Dean. "See, this bitch here, she's going to eat you, Mr. Winchester, while you're still alive. But us, we have no desire for such disgusting acts. We're going to save you. We're going to keep you alive, take what blood we need when you can spare it, but I assure you, we will keep you virtually unharmed. And even if you don't believe us, if we chose to suck you dry right now—well that would be a much less painful death than being her chew toy, no?"  
"Well you can't get in here!" She hissed out.

"But he can get out." He repeated.

"Screw you!" She bent her head and sharp pain lanced through Dean's leg. He tried to shove her off but she bit deeper, preparing to tear away a thick chunk of his flesh.

But his scream died in his throat when she jerked back, a heavy stone striking her in the head. She wasn't out, but stunned. He watched her try to right herself, his blood staining her lips.

"Now, Mr. Winchester, if you want to save yourself, give me your hand."

He was close enough that he could reach back across his line of protection, give them his hand so they could drag him out. But then he'd just be escaping one monster for another, a coward's choice.

"Fuck you."

"It's your choice, Dean, but remaining in there is certain death. At least like this, there is a chance you will live."

"No..." He moaned out, consciousness threatening to slip away again. "No, I won't be your juice box."

"But you'll be her lunch."

She was up again, launching herself on him. He wasn't sure if it was the instant of pain against his collar when those teeth bit down to the bone that made him do it. He couldn't tell if it was desperation to escape that pain, or if it was desperation to live, but his hand flew back and strong ones took a hold.

He was drug out of the cave and dropped for the moment, the group whirling on the beast that had been gnawing on him. The moment she was pulled clear, Dean clutched at his neck to try and slow the bleeding. She'd torn the thin layer of flesh and muscle that ran over his collar bone- it could have been much worse but it was little consolation when he was laying in the dirt, his body aflame with fever but shuddering from the chill of too-empty veins and above him monsters fought to decide who would get to indulge in his life source or his flesh.

"Shit." Someone dropped to his side, their pale hand replacing his own. "He's not looking too good!"

There was no sign of the other creature, she must be dead, if one could actually die in this place. More of them closed in on him, hands pressed into the wound on his thigh and the faintest of moans escaped him. The world was darkening around him, let them drink him dry, he thought as his body lurched in uncontrolled spasms and tremors. Things were shutting down and he let his head fall to the side, stare out on the dark forest in the horizon. He thought for a brief moment he saw a man in a pale trench coat but the image blurred to incoherence and he let it all fade away.

* * *

Sam watched the long, pale faced man before him unwrap the wax paper around his hamburger and bit into the juicy warm meat. If he were one to show emotion, he would certainly have sighed with satisfaction or smiled around the tomato and lettuce in pleasure. But he was not one to display any such emotion. He was Death.

"So," he finally spoke to the worn young man sitting across from him. "Your brother managed to get himself trapped in Purgatory."

"Yes."

"You realize he was most likely ripped to shreds the moment he arrived."

Sam ran a hair though his not so clean brown locks in frustration. Death had listened to his story, which he no doubt already knew, in quiet contemplation, and he knew very well the Horseman had already come to his conclusion on whether or not he could or would help. But pissing him off by pressing for an answer would do no good, so he clenched his teeth and appeased him.

"Yes. But Castiel went with him."

"And so did the Leviathan who called himself Dick Roman. And every other creature that's not a demon or a human that you've killed, has also gone there."

"Okay fine, but you are Death, King of the Reapers, so tell me, _did _they get him? Is Dean dead?"

The pale horseman wiped the ketchup from his lips with a yellow napkin and set it down.

"Ah, so you do remember my official title. Maybe then you will understand why I am a very busy man and can't come running every single time you Winchesters have a crisis."

This was too much, Sam shoved his chair back and rose. "DAMMIT is he still alive?"

"Yes." He almost missed the quiet word. "And no."

"What does that mean?"  
"He is beyond the reach of a reaper. If he dies in Purgatory, he will have no choice but to become a ghost. It is a closed world, no way to Hell, Heaven or Earth. If his mortal form is killed, his soul will remain there."

"So you don't even know."

"Not for certain. But you Winchesters have twisted the fate of your fragile human lives into the workings of the whole universe. If he were to die, then I believe, even if in Purgatory, I would be aware of it."

Sam let out a breath and eased himself back into the chair. "Good."

"Though I find it quite amazing that the Leviathan have not found him to exact their revenge. Or, perhaps they have."

Torture. Yes, Sam had already thought of that as well, but still, after seven weeks, he was sure they would have killed him if they had him.

"Unless," Death continued, "anything in Purgatory with half a brain would realize keeping Dean alive is in their best interest."

"What?"

"Well, when have either of you just left the other to rot?"

Sam wanted to argue that Dean, had in fact left him in the Pit with Lucifer as per his promise, but he let that go.

"You mean they think I'll open Purgatory and they can hitch a ride back with him."

"Most likely. If the Leviathan don't have him, then that is certainly the reason they have left him alone."

The thought both disturbed Sam, and gave him hope that Dean stood a chance.

"So the question is." Death set both hands on the table and stared across at Sam. "Will you do it? Will you open Purgatory and put this world at risk after you just saved it to pull back one, human soul?"  
"Is it possible? Could I open the doorway like Cas did, in the lunar eclipse and everything?"

"No, not like the angel and the demon. They intended to harness the power of all those souls, of Purgatory and if you were to try and cast it, I would have no choice but to destroy you. But to pull out just one soul, or two, that's a different magic entirely."

"Like the Dragons did to Eve?"

"No, Sam. In order to get one soul back, they sent one soul through- you remember that virgin Eve possessed. Eve was a soul that needed a mortal form, your brother still has his mortal form, you would need a different spell."

"So a way does exist?"  
"But not a way to prevent creatures like the Leviathan following him back. No spell is so exact you could be guaranteed to only bring back one man and one angel."

"What do I have to do?"

"Oh, I have not said that I would help yet."

"What?"

"The only reason I met with you today was to see how you intended to rip this world apart—again. There is only one way to do this safely, and you will not like it."

"What?"

"Sending someone through to Purgatory is much easier."

"What? Why would that help?"

"It would put Dean's soul in the right place. A reaper could go through, and send his soul to the proper afterlife, once he was dead."

"What? That's not an option."

"It is, you just don't like it."

"If you aren't going to help me, then I am wasting my time here."

"Sam." He stopped and watched the king of the reapers. "I have not said I will not help. But there is much to consider. The Leviathan have left their mark on this world and the so called King of Hell has not helped in restoring it. Before I chose whether or not to act, many balances must be considered, many scales weighed."

"Then when will you have an answer for me?"

He rose, taking hold of his slender cane, "I believe the saying goes, don't call me, I'll call you."

In the blink of an eye, Sam was alone in the diner. He heaved a sigh and headed out the door to the last piece of family he had left, falling heavily into the seat of the Impala.

"Alright," he sighed to the dashboard, not able to call the car 'baby' with the same ring of sincerity that his brother did, "Crowley said we're alone, well, let's prove him wrong. Let's go home."

* * *

_**Hi there! This is my first publication in the Supernatural universe. I wrote this because I had a few predictions about how Dean might survive and be brought back, so I spun that into a story that I rather like! I hope you do too! Look for more soon! Thanks.**_

_**Riza.**_


	2. Chapter 2

Dean lurched and instinctively leaned over the cot he was lying on while his stomach convulsed but nothing came out. He collapsed in the sideways position, the twist in his body sending sharp pain through his leg and chest but he didn't have the energy to move again so he just lay there, watching the sweat drip from his face and hit the wooden floor. Even his curiosity as to where he was wasn't enough to get him to move again.

The floorboards creaked under a new weight and he heard a gasp. "He's awake!"

The figure moved over to him and rolled him onto his back again. He caught sight of vivid red hair cascading over pale shoulders before she turned away to reach for something. When the cool water splashed on his lips he tried harder to stay conscious and found his hand wrapping over hers to pulled the cup closer. She pulled him up enough to help him drink and he took in as much as possible before falling back onto the sheets. With the refreshment of water, he seemed more able to focus and the room around him flourished into clarity and colour.

"I thought you were vampires." He slurred, his voice still hoarse and brain sluggish. But his eyes were taking in the clean room, simple enough, unfinished floorboards, hand sanded furniture and plain, white-washed walls. There was no glass in the windows that let daylight flood the room, but shutters were pushed open. He took in the simple brown dress the woman over him wore and got a very colonial feel about the whole place.

"We are." She answered the statement he'd already almost forgotten just as the room became much more crowded. There were three others entering, among them was the swarthy man Dean had guessed as their leader before passing out.

"What's that?" he asked, taking the red-head's spot at Dean's side and running a hand over his forehead but frowning when he still found it very hot.

"He seems confused that we are vampires." She obediently explained to him.

"I see. Well, coming form the living world, where the tastes of our kind are much more Gothic and dark, I understand why." He turned to address Dean now, "but this is a much more frugal existence."

"But it's so...bright."

"Ah, yes, you have been running around Purgatory long enough to have discovered at least some of its properties. You were right to run from the Night side, but I cannot say the Day side is any safer for you. And the Twilight realm was probably the worst place you could have chosen to camp in. But you're here now, with us in the sunlight. Yes, according to old lore we do not favour the light, but unlike many creature in this verse, we were once human, as were a few other species. We crave a roof over our heads, some sort of consistency, security. Simply put, it is more practical to live in the light. And like I said, the company in the side of light is at least a bit more desirable than the mindless beasts you'll find in the dark side. Does that satisfy you?"

Dean just nodded, the explanation was way more information than he had expected, but he was glad for it. He tried to prop himself up on his elbows so he could face the Vampires on a slightly more even level but too much pain flared up and made him stop.

"Don't move." The cold hand came to rest on his shoulder. "You are very sick with infection. Your body needs to rest."

"Yeah, big tragedy if I die." He snorted. "Then you all wouldn't get your little snack."

"Dean, it would be best if you came to terms with the situation. Is this not a fair deal? In exchange for all this- food, safety, the comforts of a bed and home- all you have to do is give us a little blood. In fact, I think it's more than fair, Dean. With all those monsters out there just waiting to feast on you, or in some cases, get their revenge, I think you won the Purgatory lottery when we found you. You already accepted the offer when you held out your hand to us, remember? So why not stop complaining."

Dean remember the moment, remembered the utter defeat he'd felt. But then his eyes narrowed and he looked up to the leader again. "Wait."

"Yes Dean?"

"I had that cave as monster proof as I could make it."

"But not against those Rakshasas, apparently."

"No, that's not what I mean."  
"Oh," a small smile crept over the man's face, _"that."_

"You might not like Dead Man's Blood, but it shouldn't have been enough to keep you out. You could have walked in and stopped her at any time, couldn't you?"

The small smile became a much larger, satisfied one. "Yes, I could have."

"You wanted me to give in."

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because, Dean, that was the first step to making you mine. The sooner you accept this as your best option, the easier this will be for everyone. But, I guess, you already made that choice."

"Bastard."

"Rest up, Dean." he ignored the insult and headed for the door, but paused before exiting. "And by the way, my name is Osric, and I will be your master for the rest of your life. I will introduce you to the rest of the family when you are feeling a bit better."

Dean shut his eyes, rolling his head back on the pillow.

* * *

"There, now get that down you and we'll see what we can do about this problem of yours."

This time, Sam could look across the table and feel at home in the company he'd sought out. He was home—maybe not in his house, but in Lawrence, for the first time in years, and with a friendly warm smile staring back at him that made him dig deep into the mashed potatoes on his plate.

"Thank you so much, Missouri."

"I told you boys to come visit. Figures you wouldn't come until the world nearly ends—again. You could have at least called, you know, when you found out monsters were poisoning the water supply."

"I'm sorry." Sam said when he swallowed his potatoes. "Things moved so fast and...well I guess I have no excuse. I'm just sorry." His shoulders dropped but he jolted with a harsh slap to his back.

"Sit up straight! And don't look so gloomy. So your brother's in a tight spot, it's terrible, there is no working around that. But it's no reason you shouldn't be keeping up your strength with good wholesome food like this. There's no Leviathan additives in that, I can promise you, grown just down the road these vegetables, at Johnson's farm. Just what you need to set your mind straight after all this talk of Death and Purgatory and monsters trying to take over the world."

Sam gave a half laugh at the way Missouri managed to dismiss his insane stories as if they were no more upsetting than coming home after being bullied at school. It was almost a relief to have her accept his word about everything but to put it in a simplistic light.

"I don't know what help an old seer like me can give you, but you were right to find your friends, Sam. How about that Charlie girl, have you heard back from her?"

"Yeah, now that the Dick is out of the picture, she's safe enough to come out of hiding. She says she'll help out if there is anything I need her to do."

"Well that's a start. You've already got two on your team then."

Her positivity washed down on him and he nodded, finding himself actually believing there was something he, an old wise woman and a hacker could do to pull his brother back from Purgatory.

"Who else is on your list?"

One of the solutions Missouri had come up with was for Sam to write down the names of anyone who knew him and might help, or owed him a favour.

"There's a Sheriff back from Bobby's town, Jody Mills. She said she'll help do some research."

"That's good."

"I still can't reach Chuck."

"The boy you say is a Prophet?"

"Yeah."

"And what about your demon friend?"

"She wasn't exactly a friend, but no I haven't heard anything from Meg either. Crowely took her back to Hell. He took Kevin too. Maybe he needed Chuck for some reason as well."

"Alright, then who is next on your list?"

Sam pulled the piece of paper over to him while he washed down the delicious supper with a glass of milk. But when he set down the glass it was with a grimace.

"Someone I really don't want to ask for help again."

"Who?"

"The Vampire Alpha."

* * *

"How are you feeling today?"

It was the question that greeted him each morning when Larissa opened wide the shutters to let the constant light fall in on him where he lay trapped in his bed. Not that they had tied him down in any way, he just simply couldn't move with his leg the way it was.

When he'd broken it before, though he'd woken up in a hospital of Leviathan doctors ready to eat him- they had at least put his leg in a cast. Here though, there was no such luxury, so he lay in his boxers with his leg bound up with nothing more than clothe holding it in place. The only way to make sure it healed, was to stay in bed, which he had done now for two full weeks. Hi fever had passed and his other wounds were healing up nicely. So, everyday, when she asked how he felt, he cringed internally, knowing it was only getting closer to when they would start to feed on him.

"Hmm." He grunted out like he always did and she set his tray of food down on the bedside table and then propped him up with more pillows. Though soft and plenty thick, the pillows seemed less comfortable to him after he'd asked what they'd stuffed them with. Monster feathers did not have the same feel as goose down.

He had asked them alot of questions about this world, and usually whoever was in was happy to oblige. They looked down on him, yes. They wanted to drink he blood and saw him as nothing more than leverage in an endless war and a piece of meat, but they at least talked to him. And the more he learned about this world, the more he understood why. Because for as much as they saw him as their dinner, he was quite possibly one of the most intelligent beings left in this world.

"Yes we can die, and we do." Osric had explained one day while checking his patient was getting better. "It is the curse of Purgatory. Creatures killing each other for eternity. But every time you are resurrected, a little less of you comes back."

"Like a copy of a copy of a copy?" Dean had suggested.

"I suppose that is one way of looking at it. With every death, they devolve into more bestial beings. Many of the vampire are like this, no longer seeking clans or shelter but living as wild things on the Night side."

"So then, you and your..." Dean hesitated to use the word but it's what Osric called them _"...family,_ you haven't died much?"

"Less then three or four times each. I myself have only gone through one regeneration. My son, August, however, has gone through four regenerations, and the difference in him is already apparent. I sincerely hope he does not devolve further or he will no longer have a place here."

"You only want original copies."

"Pure, is the word I would use. Pure beings still possess rational thought, intelligence. Without that, there is nothing for us to fight for and we might as well let ourselves degenerate into beasts."

"Are there others like you?"

"Yes. Other clans. But we have all chosen to remain small, keep to ourselves. It is more manageable that way."

Dean had learned there were only seven in this family. Osric, the head of the family, and five younger looking ones. Larissa, though only appearing to be in her early twenties, was essentially the mother of the household, or his wife. Then there his 'children' Aliyah, Khaira, August, Cane and Iver. Dean had seen little of the three young male Vampires, all looking to be about his own age, very strong, and no doubt one reason this clan had managed to defend itself for so long. However, the women were not to be discounted either, Dean got the feeling anyway.

Mostly, his contact was with Larissa and Osric, though Aliyah, the one with the long red hair he'd woken to the first day, often brought his meals and took care of the more menial jobs.

He had then asked about Bobby, wondering what could have happened to him. They had told him he must have been pulled back by the other ghosts, but now that Dean was here, he would be out of his reach. Like his cave, the Vampires had taken measures to keep out unwanted creatures. He said nothing about Cas.

"Almost ready, I'd say." Dean was pulled out of past conversations and back into the present by the bloodless hand against his skin. Larissa caught the look in his eyes and laughed as if he were a small child frightened of going to the dentist. "Don't worry sweetie, you still need to fatten up a bit." She poked his ribs and he winced. "I'll tell Osric to give you a few more days, okay?"

Her sweet voice was no comfort. She often talked to him like that, not exactly a false kindness but like she didn't actually understand that this whole situation was incredibly disturbing to Dean. "Now, eat up!"

She put the tray in his lap and swept out of the room. Now that he was feeling a bit better and a bit more resilient, he looked down at the tray with a scowl and considered not eating it. If he didn't get better, maybe they wouldn't feed on him. But that was a long shot and would still leave him weak and helpless. So he put his wooden spoon in the warm porridge and tried not to enjoy it too much.

* * *

When Dean woke to Osric just two days later, he knew he'd run out of his grace period. The elder vampire was simply watching him, as if mentally preparing himself for what he was about to do.

"I have not tasted human blood for three centuries."

Dean really didn't have anything to say. The shutters were still drawn, they were alone in the room and he was starting to worry that Osric had just decided to drink him dry.

"I have prepared myself for this moment, so that I will not take it too far."

"Then why are we alone?" Dean finally spoke, trying not to betray the growing nervousness in his voice.

"You lost consciousness the last time my family was around your open blood. It was nearly a disaster and it took everything I had to stop them from drinking you dry right then. If they were to watch me feed upon you, it would insight the same primal urges."

"I see."

Osric came to the bed and sat on the side.

"Sit up." He commanded as his hands pulled Dean upright.

This was all wrong. He should be fighting, running, screaming, but he was transfixed in the darkness, the silence, and those cold brown eyes watching him with such intensity. A hand wrapped around his back to hold him up, the other pulling down his collar before sliding to his hair to hold his head to one side.

So they were going to do this the good old fashioned way.

"Try to relax." The words whispered low just before every muscle in his body tensed up at the feeling of those rows of shark-like teeth along the sensitive, thin flesh covering such a vital area of his body.

He lurched when they penetrated, every instinct kicking in and he could help that his hands flew out to push the other back, to try desperately to escape his hold. But the strong arm wrapped behind him only pulled him in closer, teeth biting deeper and that horrible sensation of suction on his very veins increased. He felt the rumble of pleasure vibrate up the vampire's throat and into his neck.

"S-stop!" He managed to get out. How much could his body take? He had no idea how fast a Vamp drank blood but it felt like it was killing him.

His heart was beating so fast he felt like it would explode and the pain that ran through his chest was unbearable. His hands clenched into the fabric of Osric's shirt, his left knee came up in a vain attempt to leverage him off. But the other was by no means letting up, the hand in his hair pulled tighter, greedily, and he knew he was going to die.

"...stop." he tried one last time, his voice failing him, his hands falling away from the other. Only then did he feel that possessive grip slacken, the hitch of shock in the other followed by those teeth withdrawing from him and he was dropped back onto sheets which quickly stained red under the continuing flow from his neck.

"Damn." Osric's eyes shone bright in the darkness, his whole being practically shimmering with the glow of power he'd gleaned from Dean's blood. But he looked down on his prisoner and saw at once he'd gone too far. He'd torn Dean's neck open in his desperation to dig deeper and the wound continued to bleed while Dean, barely conscious, tried to cover the wound with his own hand. He was shaking all over, strangled noises of shock and pain escaping him beyond his control.

"OSRIC!" the door banged open, Larissa rushed over when she saw what was happening. Her eyes widened and she stopped herself, her jaw thrusting forward and those fangs sliding down at the sight and smell of all his blood.

"Stay back!" Osric commanded. "I will take care of it."

Dean caught glimpses of movement, heard the door slam, but mostly he just felt cold, listened to the slow pounding of his own heart and the warm roll of blood over his fingers. He made no effort to track the movements of the vampire leader as he hurried around the room, returning to Dean's side to push aside his hand and press something into his neck to staunch the bleeding.

He wanted to pass out, he didn't want to feel the pain in his chest anymore, the trembling of his body and see the look of lust still in Osric's eyes, but the other's voice was telling him to stay awake and some part of him that seemed intent on surviving was listening.

* * *

_**Well you called it Fhyre. , I too think we should see Missouri again so here she is, hopefully she's in the next season! More familiar faces to come! Thanks for the reviews.**_

_**Riza.**_


	3. Chapter 3

"Dean. Dean wake up."

"Hmm?" But he came awake despite his reluctance when hands pulled him into a sitting position and he felt the cup pressed up to his lips. "Drink up."

His brain was still muddled from sleep but he managed to swallow when he was supposed to and get the juice into his system. He didn't know what sort of fruit it was that they made the juice from, but it wasn't half bad. A forgotten luxury that would have been in the original garden, Osric had said. Something humans hadn't tasted since Eden.

He would count himself lucky if he wasn't being force fed easy-to-swallow foods to keep his heart beating and replace all he lost when Osric indulged a little too deeply. His neck still throbbed horribly even after three days. The only consolation was that the vamps had decided not to feed on him that way again. It was too difficult to control.

"Good." Larissa took the cup back when he finished and eased him back down. He still couldn't believe how weak he was, how terrible he felt after seventy two hours of sleeping and eating. Already he felt himself slipping back under but he blinked hard and made himself stay awake. Larissa had been about to leave but paused and put her cool hand against his forehead. Dean should have been repulsed by the mothering look she gave him but he was too tired and hurt to care.

"It won't always be this bad. When we feed with out teeth, we use the pain to prevent the prey from fighting back. But if we did it differently, that won't happen, and we won't over feed. It won't hurt so much."

Again he had the feeling of a parent trying to make pulling out a tooth seem less scary. But as far as he understood her, she did have kind intentions.

"When?" He whispered. "When will you try again?"

"I don't know, just rest."

* * *

"I said I would see you soon."

Sam twitched in the grip of the vampires that held him in place. He had gotten in here, but he really wasn't sure he was going to get out again.

"Yeah, so I'm guessing you knew that killing the Leviathan could pull us into Purgatory."

"Of course."

"Well thanks for the heads up."

"Oh Sam, since when did I owe you anything? In fact, why should I even hear you out this time, hmm? What's stopping me from biting into your soft, salty flesh?"

"The same reason you were banking on me coming back to you for help. You need something in Purgatory, don't you?"

"Ah, very good, Sam." He nodded and the pair restraining him let him go. "Yes, I do."

"What?"

"You don't need to know, what you need to know, is what I know about Purgatory."

Sam didn't argue for now. "Okay, so what then?"

"I can get you in, it will be up to you to get yourself out. But I think your friend Death can help you with that one."

He wasn't even sure Death was on their side, but again, the situation was tenuous enough so he just agreed, "Fine."

"It's rather simple. Think about how Dean got pulled over."

"He got pulled back with Dick, but that's never happened before when we've ganked something."

"Because their souls didn't have enough...weight. In a sense, Dean got caught up in the gravity of his soul's power. You won't find a soul with that much energy in this world again- and don't even think about trying it with me. I am not ashamed to admit even I would not create such a shock wave if killed."

"Then how?"

"You will have to replace quality with quantity. Round up the most powerful creatures out there, and annihilate them all at once. But if you touch a Vampire-"

"I won't. But how can I possibly do this? What you're talking about could take months!"

"It may. Perhaps it is time to call on old friends."

"I have!"  
"All of them?"

Sam watched him and let out a breath. "Fine."

"Good. Then I will be in touch." With that dismissal, Sam left.

* * *

A warm breeze rippled over the hay fields and made the long strands dance before the pale man reclined in the Adirondack style chair. The hay marked the border of where he was allowed to roam, still only about twenty feet from their dwelling. His leg was still stiff, and it had healed very slowly due to the constant drain on his system from their feedings, but he could get himself out here now, to sit in the unnatural glow that lit this part of Purgatory. He had asked about this too, and learned much about the land around him.

Purgatory was not only divided between night and day, but between seasons. They lived in constant summer, not too hot, just right. Because it was a closed world, no celestial forces reined over them and so there was simply that yellow hazy glow in the sky that replaced the sunlight.

"This world cheats the laws of physics and biology that exist on Earth. Minerals, materials, are readily available and plants and food grow independent of sunlight of rainfall. Purgatory is, in fact, based on the garden of Eden." Osric had explained to him.

"But I thought it was a prison."

"It is, for God's creatures, created by God. It was his fault the Leviathan were the way they were, so why should they have to suffer? He created this world to be inaccessible, but there was no reason not to make it pleasant. Purgatory is the Paradise of the Leviathan- well as much as it can be without hosts of humans for them to feed upon."

"Leviathan paradise, now that's an unsettling thought."

"Indeed it is for many creatures. For a long time they exerted their rule, made sure everyone knew they were trespassers of their land, until they became bored with even this and left us to our own devices. Looking back, it was most likely then that they had decided to try to get into your world."

"So where are they now?"

"No doubt watching us." Dean had stiffened at this and met those brown eyes. "Yes Dean, this is their world, and we are all just living in it, but they suffered greatly at your hands in the world of the living. They have not yet recuperated and I don't think they have any desire to put the effort we have into keeping you safe. They no doubt know where you are, but will allow us to do the heavy lifting for them until you are useful."

"You think?"

"I think that is what most of Purgatory is doing. As much as we tried to keep your presence here a secret, you were bound to be sensed out. So far, only stupid beasts have come for you."

"They have?"  
"That is what my children spend most of their days doing- keeping watch, stopping the other guests of purgatory from getting you. So, keep that in mind next time we want a sip."

"I know." Dean had grunted. "A small price to pay." He was sick of the words but he no longer argued, there was no point, Osric would never understand.

But now he was alone- at least as much as he could be. He so badly wanted to turn his head and see Sam sitting there, handing him a beer and leaning on the hood of the Impala while a summer breeze washed over them. But with every passing day he began to doubt more and more that he and his brother would ever see each other again. Even when they died, his soul would be trapped here.

"Dean."

He jerked back in his chair at the sudden voice and stared at trench coated angel staring down at him. "You look pale."

"CAS!" He pulled himself up and out of the chair, grabbing the other by the shoulders. "Quick Cas, get us out of here."

He heard the bang of the porch door and light footsteps.

"The Angel!" Larissa screamed.

"Cas now!"

"Why?"

Dean's face creased in pain, not physical, much worse. His desperation seethed out of him as his fingers closed even tighter in that old familiar coat. "Cas, _please._"

"You're safe here, Dean, much better than that old cave." there was more movement behind them, the whole family must be there now, but they weren't making their move. An Angel still trumped a Vampire any day.

"What are you talking about Cas? They are feeding on me!"

The angel frowned, looking him up and down. "Yes, you do seem rather weak, even for a human."

"Yes, exactly, now please Cas, let's go."

"Still, you have not seen what's out there, Dean. According to Bobby, these people have shown no intention to kill you or harm you more than necessary."

"According to Bobby? You've seen him?"

"Yes. He is unable to reach these boarders but he has done what he can to keep watch over you."

"How is he?"

Cas though this over. "Well, last we spoke he was rather angry."

"Did you tell him you thought that me living here was a good idea?"

"Yes."

"THAT'S WHY HE WAS ANGRY!" The vice grip in the angel's coat slid closer to his collar and Dean pulled Castiel to just within inches of his face. "I know you're not all there, Cas, but do you really intend to leave me here like this?"

"Dean." the voice came out sounding almost like the old Cas, which made his next words all the more devastating. "Whether you want to admit it or not, you are safer here. And the reason that these beings are able to keep you safe from all the hoards out there, is because of the strength they get from your blood. So perhaps the discomfort you are suffering in return for your protection, is a small price to-"

"Don't." his fingers slowly unknotted from Cas' collar, "don't you dare say that to me Cas."

"I am afraid I already have."

"You could protect me."

"I won't fight."

"Then you really are gone." He remembered what Osric had explained to him about regeneration and how it made you less of yourself each time. He himself had died multiple times, but so had Cas and they didn't know what was bringing him back. He had called himself cursed, well, maybe he was, maybe he was already just a copy of a copy of a copy.

"I'm right here, Dean."

"No you're not. Because if you were, you would be saving me."

"I'm sorry Dean."

That empty noise sounded and Dean was staring at rippling fields again. He could feel the family staring at him, the chill settle in the air as Osric finally took a step and moved toward him. Dean had openly stood there and tried to escape, would Osric punish him for that? How could he expect him not to?

That chill hand came to rest on his shoulder. "Will you accept it now, Dean? When even your friend thinks it true?"

The human said nothing, continuing to stare straight ahead.

"Come. It is time for Khaira to feed."

It wasn't acceptance when he turned easily with Orsic's guiding hand and followed him back to the house. Nor was it acceptance when he stretched his arm out and let Larissa slide under his skin the precious needle that had been so carefully made for just this purpose. It was simply complete and utter depression when he bent over the table and rested his face in the crook of his other arm while Kharia took her place at the end of the tube sealed around the needle to drink his blood.

There was hardly any pain to this method, just that slow draw of his energy, the chill that would settle over his body and the sense of defeat it brought. This time he didn't remember the juice being put in his shaking hand, or the food set before him, he just remembered feeling the darkness coming and doing nothing at all to fight it.

* * *

"SAM! I am so happy to see you." The petite blonde threw her arms around him and he cringed. "As soon as I got your voice message I quit my job and came straight here."

"You what? You quit your job? Becky you-"

"Of course, anything for you Sam."  
"Okay, look." He pushed her from him and held her by the shoulders to keep her from launching onto him again. "I called you because I'm desperate—wait not _desperate_ like that but I mean I need help. Bad. Dean is in trouble."

"It's okay Sam, I'm here for you, and I won't expect anything more. I learned my lesson last time."

"Okay, good."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I uh...well you read all of Chuck's books, right?"

She rolled her eyes. "Duh, Sam."

"Yeah, okay." He hated thinking about those books of their lives out there but continued on, "Well, I guess there aren't any more so here's a fast update: Bobby is Dead. Cas and Dean are in Purgatory. I don't have a lot of friends left and I need to round up as many powerful souls as possible so I can kill them all at once and get carried into Purgatory with them."

She covered her mouth and stared at him wide eyes.

"Okay, it's alot to take in I know, but you know alot of details of our lives and I thought maybe you could help me get in touch with some old allies and hunt down the monsters."

She just nodded behind her hands.

"Yes of course, Sam! I'll do anything to help you!"  
She pulled out her smartphone and began scrolling down until she found what she was looking for and hit the call button.

"Wait, you already have someone?" Sam asked incredulously.

"Duh Sam, volumes 7 and 29, Hell House and-"

"Oh no."

"-Ghostfacers."


	4. Chapter 4

"Did you know there are no bees in this place, Dean?"

The figure on the front step hardly reacted. Cas had come and gone, the Vampires not liking it one bit but there wasn't much they could do about it and since he never did anything to take Dean from them, they now hardly reacted to his presence.

"And yet there is honey." He held out a long piece of bark heaped with the golden viscous fluid. "Isn't that strange?"

The man looked up at what was being held out before him, then met the eyes of the angel. Dark circles painted the underneath of his eyes, almost like bruises. His features were pale and drawn and for once Castiel actually seemed to see the reality of Dean's situation.

"Dean, you are not well."

"No shit." He muttered, but the angel grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up. He was barely able to stand, Iver had fed on him less than three hours ago and normally he would be sleeping but he had come out the step to brood in the false sunlight instead.

So when he was suddenly vertical the world spun and he found himself clutching onto the broken angel. When he fell against him completely, he knew just how much his body had changed. Despite his divine powers, Cas had always been a slight man, not particularly sturdy in terms of his mortal shell. But now he seemed so strong, so steady as his arms held Dean up.

"They have taken too much." Cas commented. Dean said nothing, waiting, hoping that Cas had finally come to his senses and would take him away. "You have lost twenty-eight and three quarters pounds, Dean. That is not good."

"Then take me with you." He finally breathed out.

"Do you remember when we first arrived? I was concerned for you, and I wanted to keep you safe. But I left you. The next moment that my mind was in a clear place, I returned to find you. That was three days later. Dean, I cannot keep you safe, I cannot concentrate on the task for more than a few hours before some inane thought takes hold of me and I abandon you."

"But you see it now. You're here now."

"But in an hour, I will be back looking for bees. I cannot hold onto these moments of clarity Dean. That is why I cannot take care of you."

"So you'll leave me here?"

"I am sorry Dean."

But he felt a moment of disorientation and they were no longer on the step, they were in the main sitting room of the house, where Osric was studying some old manuscript. He looked up sharply, Castiel had never even spoken or interacted with the vampires.

"What are you doing?" Osric demanded.

"Here." Castiel held out his hand. When he opened it there was suddenly a sizable jar there.

"What is this?"

"My blood. It should tide you over for a while."

"The blood of an angel?"

"It's potency is diminished since I am cut off from Heaven here. Still, it should be a suitable replacement for Dean's blood for quite some time. He needs time to recover, you must see that."

"I do. But in order to keep him-"

"That is why I gave you that. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Cas vanished and in the sudden absence of his support Dean stumbled and was left alone with Osric. He wasn't exactly sure how the other would react to all of this but he watched him open the jug and take a sip. His eyes shut in satisfaction before lifting to Dean.

"Looks like you're off the hook for a while."

* * *

"Ed, hey Ed, I think I've got a lead."

A small man scratched at his beard from where he reviewed his latest footage.

"A lead on what, Harry?"

"You know, those souls Sam needed."

"You what? I thought we agreed _not_ to help that psychopath."

"No, you said that. Maggie and I said we would. It wasn't them that went on the killing spree, Ed, it was Leviathan who shape-shifted into them."

Ed looked to his friend critically over the top of his glasses. "Yeah, cause that makes sense."

"It does okay, and now Dean is trapped in Purgatory with that angel. We have to get him back."

"They destroyed our best footage."

"I know, I know." Harry put a hand on Ed's shoulder. "But if you don't want to do this for them, then think about this way: last time we tangled with the Winchesters, we got the best footage we've ever had. So think about what we'll get if we try to open a gateway to Purgatory."

The film maker shot off his chair and looked his partner dead on. "I'll call Spruce."

* * *

Ice cold water ran down his neck as he drank deep, straight from the bucket at the well. Dean didn't care that it got all over him as he gulped it down, his body drenched in sweat from his half walk-half jog he's managed this morning. For a moment he actually forgot he was in Purgatory, it could actually have been Eden, paradise. The waft of lilac bushes that ringed in this side of the field mixed in with the fresh scent of fruit that hung plump and ready on the branches of the bordering trees. Even the water was fresh and pure.

It had been fifteen days since a feeding and though he was still thinner than he'd been in years, still got out of breath way too easily and still felt an annoying twinge of pain in his leg, he felt better than he had since arriving here.

"You're going to drown yourself," Aliyah commented.

He eased the bucket down and returned it to the well to face her. It was her turn to watch him. They hadn't needed to watch him when he could barely make it from his bed to the front step, but now that he was mobile they were clearly worried he'd make a break for it.

And of course they were right. But he wouldn't be stupid about it. He planned to find the salt or iron or whatever they were using to keep ghosts out and get rid of it and then he could make his break with Bobby's help.

"I miss it." Her words were wistful, he barely caught them.

"Miss what?"

"Being human. The simple pleasures. Like water being enough to quench your thirst."

He considered her words. He really didn't know anything about the people who kept him, other than that Osric was very old and had been sent over to Purgatory while America was still being founded, but the others he knew practically nothing about.

"So you still remember it?"

"Well it wasn't that long ago, about...six years."

For some reason this surprised him. "Really?"

She smiled ironically and nodded, sweeping her bouncing red curls behind one ear. "I was in university, I was going to be a nurse. My boyfriend proposed, we had it all mapped out: I was going to get married the summer after graduation, maybe start a family a few years later."

"How did it happen?"

"They killed him and turned me one night after the bars closed. Two months later I was killed by a hunter and woke up here. Living in Purgatory while all my friends were studying for exams...it was almost too much, but then, it's not like I could commit suicide here. I was the last to join the family. Osric found me trying to survive on my own in the Twilight Autumn."

"That's...awful." Dean was actually surprised to find himself sincere. She had been a vamp for a handful of weeks and ended up here, practically as out of place as him.

"I miss real life." She sighed. "I miss parties, facebook, even just watching bad t.v. And I was right in the middle of a book I'll never get to finish. It just...doesn't seem fair." She shook her head and leaned against the well with her back to Dean. "I can't believe I'm complaining about all of this to you."

"Why, because I'm human?"

"Because of what we're doing to you."

He watched her carefully. Was this all a test to see if he would say what he really wanted to? It didn't really seem like it and what difference would it make anyway?

"Then let me go."

"I can't." She said at once and he knew it wasn't a test.

"Why?"

"Because Osric gave me this," she waved a hand around their sanctuary, "and I can't betray him. And besides, now that I've been feeding again, I don't think I could give it up, sorry Dean. I am probably the closest one to understanding what it's like for you to be here, but I still can't let you go."

"Well, a guy's got to try."

"And a girl has to deny."

He cracked probably his first smile since waking here. "So, what was that book you were reading?"

But when he turned to face her he met instead a pale faced angel, a hand slick with crimson falling on his shoulders.

"Dean."

"Cas, what happned?"

"I came to warn you."

"What is it?"  
"Starships..." Dean tried to catch him as he fell but in an instant he was supporting nothing but air, the bloody hand print on his shoulder the only proof Cas had even been there.

"What was that?" Aliyah stepped back, unable to handle the scent of even so little blood. "He's crazy, what did he mean about star ships?"

"Starships...oh no."

"What?"

"Jefferson Starships."

"The band?"

"No, the Hybrids Eve created to take over Earth. The monsters Cas and I killed and...their mother."

"You don't mean the Mother of All?"

"Did she return to Purgatory? Is that what happened when I killed her?"

"I don't know, Dean-"

There it was, that oh so perfectly timed, bone chilling scream.

"Khaira!" But Dean caught Aliyah's wrist, watching the house carefully. The scream had come from the far perimeter. A second later they could hear shouts. "Ivan."

"No wait." He warned. She stayed his grasp, even though she easily could have gotten away from him. "If it's what I think it is," he began explaining, "they have your strength and more. Wraith, Vamp, Shifter-"

"Aliyah!" The voice came from the house. They were only a hundred meters away, but Osric had no hope of closing that distance. What Dean had expected happened. The hybrids had used Khaira to draw the others out. Three of them jumped on the elder Vampire. Dean let go of Aliyah.

"What are you doing?" She looked at him but he was backing away. This was the best chance he'd get. "No, stop."

"Come with me." he didn't know what madness made him say it, that instant of connection should not erase weeks of her feeding on him, keeping him captive, but he couldn't analyze it now, he'd already said it.

"I can't leave them." She answered incredulously. "They're my family."

"Fine." He turned to run but her shriek stopped him and he heard her weight hit the ground. The sharp toothed, wild-eyed hybrid had lost most of it's human resemblance that it had held on Earth. It was still in the body of a man, but the eyes were those of an animal for certain.

And he ran. He was weaponless, powerless in this fight, and he was going to escape.

"DEAN!" He blocked out her sobbing cry, he had glimpsed her blood all over the ground, it had gotten her that fast, she really wasn't much of a monster.

"DEA—AHHH!"

His whole body froze, his feet turning to lead and he nearly toppled on the crest of the hill he'd been running up. He turned back and saw the devastation, saw Osric blood soaked, standing over an inert Larissa and trying to fend off two beasts. He saw Iver with a form draped over his arms, but he fell a moment later from another strike. August and Cane jumped to intervene only to be taken down themselves. And there, at the foot of the hill where they had talked about social media and getting drunk, a young girl screamed his name while the being on her plunged a spike into he back over and over again.

He was not powerless.

He was a human.

A hunter.

A Winchester.

He could not run. "I'm sorry, Sammy."

Dean broke for the shed. It was close, he hadn't been allowed in there and he was sure he knew why. When he opened the door his suspicion was confirmed. It was a hunter's paradise. Osric had defended these lands from monsters for centuries, of course he had a stockpile.

Jefferson Starships, a bitch to kill, but decapitation would slow them down any day. He chose a long, broad machete and shoved another, shorter blade through his belt. Then the door burst open and he was no longer the weak, drained creature he'd become in the last weeks.

He was a monster's worst fucking nightmare.

The head rolled down the hill and a moment later a body fell backwards out of the shed doors. Dean gave it no second thought as he tramped over it to get to the next.

It was muscle memory, it was instinct, and it was exhilarating. Maybe after so long int he company of vampires, he had truly learned the meaning of blood lust, and that was surely what radiated off of him as he faced each enemy with a gleam in his eyes, jaw set and half craving that sensation of the hot black blood spraying onto his face.

Aliyah stopped screaming when the form on top of her fell to one side. Her own body was torn open, it would take more than what Dean could give to heal that. She wasn't going to get up again soon so he just crouched down low and made himself heard over her ragged breath.

"Try not to move, there's no reason for them to attack you again if they think you're dead."

"..Dean."

"Just do what I say."

And he was moving. Osric and Larissa were the next closest and way too outnumbered. Osric was bleeding heavily from one shoulder and Larissa wasn't even moving. Dean started up a jog, and then a full run.

He met those cold eyes of his keeper, and said two words. "Get down."

The Starships had been so engrossed in their attack that they didn't see him coming until it was too late. He threw his whole weight into the strike, but even with that, getting two at once proved too much for his strength. He shore through the first like he had all the others, but his blade wedged only halfway into the neck of the second.

It lashed out in pain filled furry, its wraith spike driving through his wrist, succeeding in getting him to let go of the machete. He hollered out, but it was hardly done with him, its sharp fingers closed over his shoulders and he was on his back, the wind rushing out of his lungs and its rows of teeth coming up to his neck.

But instead of the pain, it gurgled in surprise and then its head rolled free of its body, landing next to Dean. He panted, holding his bleeding wrist, and watched Orsic drop to his knees. The Vampire wasn't going to get up again soon and, with the wound in his wrist, Dean didn't think he'd be able to swing hard enough to kill. More of the animals were coming for them, they could hear August grunting in pain, repeating the names of his sibling over and over. Larissa gave a wheezing breath before succumbing. Osric watched her go, falling further still to his hands.

And Dean knew what he had to do, even if everything in him screamed against it, but he drug himself up and wrapped his hand around Osric's wrist.

"...a small price to pay."

Those eyes met his, and for the very first time, Dean knew he was being seen as an equal. There was a short nod, and then the hands were around him, pulling him tight against his sweat and blood soaked shirt.

It was worse than the first time. Worse because Osric needed it so much more, because he dug deep and drank fast at the sound of his children screaming. That horrible pressure built in Dean's chest, like someone's hand was squeezing his heart. His left arm was limp, the wound taking all fight out of it but his right was digging into Osric's shoulder, a tenth of the strength of the vampire's hold on him.

And then he felt a thud, he back against cool earth and he saw from the corner of his eye, Osric crouched, back arched, teeth bared and machete in hand. He knew it was over, he knew they were saved.

That was, until he glimpsed the face of a dark haired girl in a snowy gown just before he passed out.


	5. Chapter 5

"You've reached the Department of Homeland Security. Yes. Yes, I can verify the identity of two agents." Charlie winked to Missouri as she spoke into her headset and continued typing furiously on her laptop. "Just let me put you on hold for one second."

"Who is it this time?" The seer asked as she put a cup of tea in the safest place should could find in Charlie's command centre that had once been her sitting room. Her house had slowly been transformed into the base of operations for all the allies Sam had pulled together.

"Harry and Ed. Lucky for them..." she finished typing and sat back with a smile, "I can do more than just pretend to be their supervisor. I can make them official."

"That's not the most comforting thought."

But Charlie just tapped the side of her head set and returned to the conversation. "I can fax you their credentials now. Is there anything else I can help you with? Okay, thank you."

"You're getting a little too good at all of this."

"Aren't we all? Becky phoned in an hour ago to say she got a pagan god."

"By herself?"

"Like you said, we're getting good."

"Have you heard from Sam lately?"  
But at the question they heard the rumble and saw the Impala role in, a bit more beat up than Dean would ever have allowed, and Sam stepped out of her tiredly. He pulled a bag out of the back seat and came inside.

"Sam, how did it go?"

"Better than expected."

The Vampire Alpha had called. Sam had not been looking forward to the meeting.

"What did he want?"

"Well, turns out he doesn't want anything _from_ Purgatory. He wants me to take something there with me."

"What?"

"I still don't know."

"So he called you down there just for that?"

"No. He wanted to check on my progress with Death. He says none of this will work without him." He sat back in a chair and accepted the tea Missouri brought him. "Crowely said something to me right after Dean disappeared, about it being a sort of, 'side-effect' of using a weapon of God. So not only do I need to replicate the power of Dick's soul, but I need a weapon of God."

"Well how are you supposed to get one of those?"

"Well, Dean and I once had four of them."

"The Horsemen's rings." Charlie said, eyes widening.

"Yeah, how did you-" but Sam saw one of Chuck's novels half covered by papers on her desk and remembered how Becky had handed them out with the instruction that it was their field guide to this whole thing. Charlie had devoured them in practically a night. Disturbingly to Sam, they were right up her alley.

"Nevermind." He continued. "You're right, the rings of the Four Horsemen. We still have three of them. And they were forged by the man himself, according to the lore anyway."

"So would they be enough?" Missouri asked, "to open the gate?"

"The Alpha doesn't think so. Their masters are dead, their power inactive, only useful for opening one portal now." He didn't say anything more. These memories were ones he did not want to revisit. "So that's where Death comes in. His ring is still active. It should be enough."

"And have you heard anything from him?"

"No."

"So what now, then?" Charlie asked.

"We keep doing what we're doing and hope that he decides to help us." His phone buzzed, he read the text and picked up his bag again and headed for the door.

"What, were are you going? You just got here." Missouri followed him out to the porch.

"Big group of Leviathan were spotted in New Mexico, I'm the closest hunter there." Sam had spread the word through the very last of his connections on how to fight the Leviathan. They were leaderless, but still very dangerous. However, they were as good as any monster they had locked down for the the gateway, as long as he kept the heads far enough away from the bodies.

"Well be careful!" She hollered after him. He just gave a wave and pulled out of the drive.

* * *

Flashes of motion. Garbled voices. Anger. Panic. Cold.

Nothing in him wanted to face this pain; find out why his body was frigid, why he felt the cold crystals of snow beneath his fingers and a terrible dead weight to his left side. But he still opened his eyes for the same reason he did anything and that giant of a reason would kill him if he just laid down and died.

However, when his muddled mind finally did piece together the voices over him, take stock of the pain and more alarming the lacking pain, in his body and what his hazed eyes could make out, he wasn't sure he had much choice any more.

"..wha..?" Looking down his body- which was already blood deprived- it looked more or less like they had intentionally packed the snow around him. Hazy light bounced back off the snow, he knew he must be in Twilight's Winter. But why, he didn't know.

"Eve." At the mention of her name, Dean tried harder to shake himself free but a foot came down on his chest to stop him. This hybrid was far more human looking, and looked between its prey and its mother.

"So, you idiots didn't kill him after all."

"His arm is still infected, we should remove it."  
At this, Dean gave a jerk with his shoulder to move the limb into his sight. It rolled to one side like it was already dead and he could see the black veins of poisonous infection spreading out from where he'd been stabbed. That at least explained why they had half frozen him: they were trying to keep the infection from spreading.

"He's already lost too much blood." She argued. "You'll have to make sure he doesn't lose anymore."

"We don't have the tools, too many have turned on us. Roman will find us and then-"

"Shut up, darling."

So Eve was no longer the revered Mother of All, and the Levis were looking for them. Dean wished this information was in any way comforting or helpful.

"We'll just have to do it ourselves." She leaned low and pulled the cleaver from Dean's belt. "This should come in handy—oh sorry, no pun intended." Her fiery gaze held no mercy staring down at him as her subordinate took hold of his other arm and pulled him forward through the snow.

So, she was a little bitter he had sent her back here, understandable. He would have made a jibe to that effect except that he was barely staying conscious so he needed to focus on that. However, when he was hauled up and into a stone walled cottage and dropped on a high table with his wounded arm extended out from the rest of his body, he started to think it would be much better for him if he just blacked out again.

"We'll have to cauterize it after amputation." Someone said.

"Then stoke the fire and get everything ready." Eve ordered before hopping up onto the high table and sitting next to where Dean lay, stirring in a vain attempt to roll away from her. With one hand on his chest she kept him still, her other hands smoothed over his damp hair as if lovingly, like the mother she pretended to be.

"Don't worry dear, you can live without one little arm. And that's all we need after all, just for you to be breathing so when that brother of yours opens the gate to pull you out we know exactly where he's going to land. And besides, I think I owe you one for killing me, sending me back here where I've lost so many of my faithful children to anarchy. They don't revere me anymore. I've been left in this exile. And now you've even sent my big brother back here after I'd finally gotten rid of him."

This did penetrate fevered thoughts. "Your brother?" He hissed out, wondering if Eve was in fact a Leviathan.

"Yes. He goes by Dick now but his name was once Adam."

"..Eden..?"

"Yes, _that_ Adam and Eve, the first children of God, God's first mistakes. Adam wanted only Leviathan, creatures just like himself, and me, I guess I wanted diversity. But before we were able to populate the Earth, God sent us here, into a new Eden—Purgatory. Still, a few of my offspring still managed to survive in your world, as you well know. As you have vainly spent your life trying to undo my work."

"Dick is Adam.."

"Yes, do try to keep up." She patted his head. "But he's been as dethroned as I have. You see, we were alive when we were sent here by God, the only living beings in Purgatory. That is what gave us power over all the beasts here. But you killed us, Dean, and when we returned here we were souls, just like everyone else. So you, Dean Winchester, are officially the only living soul in Purgatory, Angels not withstanding. Though by the way I left him, I don't think even he will count much longer."  
They were souls. That had to mean something, they had lost at least some of their power. But the faintest hope those thoughts brought were wiped clear when his belt was pulled from his pants and Eve looped it over his thawing arm.

"Are you almost ready, dears?" she called to her helpers as she tightened the worn leather strap around his upper arm.

"Yes."

She rolled off the table but her power kept him still and he could not fight it. "Cas..." He moaned out in a last hope. "Bobby..."

"Sorry Dean, you're all on your own now." She smiled down on him and he felt the razor edge rest against his skin.

But it seemed something, somewhere out there, was on his side.

When the door shuddered under a heavy wind, when the fire flickered and threatened to go out completely, and when finally, in one over dramatic burst of power the oak frame crashed to the ground, Dean was half relieved to see the face of the chomper that had pulled him back here with him.

"Sister, dearest. If you were going to have a Winchester for dinner you should have rang."

He was still in the imitation body of the real Dick Roman. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Dean wondered what the Leviathan looked like without their bodies; clearly human form was still preferable if it was the form they held in their own world. Dick had Eve around the throat before she could retort. Her feet kicked vainly out against him as they were raised from the the floor.

"A—adam.." she choked out.

"Eve, did you really think I'd let you take him? Osric is one thing, he's smart, knows how to take care of him, but in less than a day you've nearly killed my only chance of getting back to Earth."

"He'll live."  
"Oh will he? After you stabbed him, poisoned him, then threw him in the snow when he was probably in shock and now you're trying to amputate his arm? There is stupid, and then there is you, Eve. No wonder you were so readily tricked by him."  
"Oh?" Her eyes narrowed. "And what exactly happened to you,_Dick_? You fell for Dean's trick even after you knew what he'd done to me."

If the room wasn't already freezing, Dean was sure the temperature would have dropped several degrees. And then he was in the middle of a war zone. Sister fighting brother, Eve vs Adam and already chunks of stone were flying. The table was struck by one of their bodies and Dean flew from it to the cold stone floor. Other creatures were dashed to pieces in the wake of this sibling rivalry, but the cause of it all did his best to crawl forward toward to the open door.

When he got to the door frame, some last reserve of desperate strength urged him to pull himself up before he slid out into the snowy winter land.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Dick was covered in blood, issuing from his nose and ears, Eve was still picking herself up behind him. But instead of being pulled back into the cottage, cold hands closed around Dean from behind and he saw the shock register on the Leviathan's face.

"With me, you son of bitch."

Winter washed to white bright light and faded back to grey dust. Bobby wheezed and they fell to the ground just outside their old cave.

"Balls." The ghost muttered, having used up much of his practised strength in that one move. But if ever he'd saved it for anything, it was to rescue Dean and he had done it. Now he had to finish the job.

"Don't take it." Dean grabbed his arm with his right hand. "Bobby please."

"Dean what? What is it?"

"Don't take my arm, Bobby...please."

His pale faced friend looked down on the growing black veins and muttered his favourite curse again. "What they hell did they do to you, kid?"

But Dean was barely responsive, his hand wrapped in Bobby's plaid shirt was the last of his conscious effort. Bobby ran a hand over the wound, Dean flinched and moaned. "Well at least you've still got feeling, otherwise your tissue might be dead." But there was nothing he could do. He looked in the cave for their old collection of tools but everything had been long raided since then. He had no juice left to transport them again and they were still in the Twilight region, not far enough between them and the Levis.

"I'm sorry, son." Bobby brushed a hand through snow soaked bangs. "But I think we're boned." He watched the rapid rising and falling of the young man's chest, the sweat pooling in the dip of his neck. "Just sleep now, Dean." His voice cracked. He wasn't sure what would happen to Dean when he died here, but he didn't want this, even if Dean became a ghost, nothing in him wanted to condemn his would-be son to this same fate.

He felt the tug. He'd been too bold and the ghosts were going to haul him back again but he wrapped his hand around Dean's that had slid from his shirt.

"I'll find you, son, I swear."

He hollered out in frustration as the controlling force took hold and swept him away like dust in the wind. The rush of power stirred the form on the ground.

"Bobby...?" but something in him had still been attuned, knew what had happened. And now here he was, still lying on his back about to die.

But, just like every time he just wanted to give up and let it all end, he could see almost as clear as the half dead trees around him that stalwart face, those desperate eyes. But most of all in the vision, he saw Sam alone, left to fight by himself in an unforgiving world until he met his own, brutal end.

"Get up Dean." He whispered out. "Get the Hell off this ground." He rolled to his injured side and let the pain of the pressure to his arm jolt through him. "Good." He stuck out his right hand and braced it against the earth. "You were in Hell, Dean, this is a walk in the park."

He pushed himself to his knees. He felt his skin bristling with heat and cold that should not be able to coexist, but he shoved that down. How many impossible things had he survived? How many times had he endured poison, pain, blood loss, you name it, that would have killed anyone else? Maybe he and Sam were supernatural themselves, maybe that was the biggest joke of all. Or maybe this was just the true strength of humanity: the ability to rise up, no matter what tired to bring you to your knees.

"Right leg." He instructed his body and managed not to fall over when he shifted his weight to one side. "Okay left, your turn." He grunted in enormous effort before getting to his feet.

"Good." He said staring down at the ground now well below him before raising his gaze to where the sky lightened. "It's not defeat," he reassured himself, "it's survival. They're your only shot now, Dean. Keep moving."

* * *

Pale lips parted to gasp in air once more. A faithful hand closed over her own and the woman in the bed stared up at her centuries' long lover.

"Osric..." Larissa breathed out, taking in his still blood stained clothes, but eyes alight with life and energy. "You weren't killed?"

"No. Dean, he...I took strength from the human's blood and was able to fend off the beasts."

"How long did the regeneration take this time?" She asked.

"About twenty hours. How do you feel?"

She eased herself up and nodded. "I had forgotten this feeling." He raised the hand he held and pressed it to his lips before tracing his other hand down her slender face.

"I promised you long ago you would never have to feel it again. I am sorry."

"We all decided to take the human, knowing the risks. I just thought the Leviathan were content to let us take care of him."

"They are. It was not their leader who sent their beasts but Adam's sister. And it would seem Eve wants her revenge more than her freedom."

"What are you saying?"

"I was able to destroy those things Eve sent, but while I was fighting them off she took him. The human is gone, and he was badly wounded."

"Then you must find him."

"I could not leave you undefended." She gave a small gasp at this, understanding the implications.

"The children?"

"They all suffered a regeneration, I could not leave you all like that."

"You chose us." she half whispered. "You chose us over a chance to return to Earth."  
His eyes, always so cold and lifeless, creased ever slightly, almost in pain. "Do you not understand? I have no intention of returning to Earth. What would be the point? To live in exile and danger again? No. The reason I took the human from the others was so that I could become stronger than them, so that I could forge a better life for all of us, here. It was my promise to my brother, all those years ago. Purgatory will belong to our kind before he arrives, and it will be Paradise for you, and our children."  
"Osric..." but his hand around hers stiffened and every sense he had went on edge.

"What is it, are they back?"

"Stay here." He commanded, rushing out of the room.

"Osric? OSRIC!"

The snap of branches in the woods, the panting, shallow breath. His sharp hearing caught the first signs of danger, but when he caught the tang of blood, the scent of sweat, he hurried all the more, knowing just exactly what was coming.

Dean emerged from the woods in knee high hay at the borderlands of their territory, not far from the well. He looked more beast than human, skin the colour of ash, eyes lit with some fire deep inside, clothes torn and soaked through with sweat and blood and a growing black poison spreading out from his arm.

He halted when he saw Osric, his right arm had been cradling the other but now he held out what looked like a crude stake partly covered in blood. Dean hadn't just marched here half dead, he'd fought his way back, but half that battle must have been with himself by the way he looked at Osric now.

"Stay back." He growled out, the hand holding the stake shook violently.

"Dean, you came here, remember? You knew that you would be safe here."  
"Safe, ha!" He laughed bitterly.

"Then why did you come here?" He took a step forward and Dean lurched back, half falling into the last tree of the forest. He used the friction between the bark and his back to hold himself up.

"I said stay back!"

Orsic could over take him, there was no doubt, but the human was so fragile right now he did not want to provoke a struggle. Behind him, Larissa waded through the long grass, not having heeded instruction, and slowly those others in the family who were finished resurrecting came out, Aliyah among them.

"What do you want, Dean? Do you want us to help you? Or are you running away?"

"I..." he winced as some unknown pain lanced through him. Wild eyes cast over each of them, resting last on Aliyah. "I don't know."

The words came out a choked sob. He was half delirious, and what was still coherent in him was feeling every ounce of sickness and exhaustion, of hopelessness and defeat and his feet slipped outward, his back slid down the tree and he gave up all pretence of trying to hold them back when he dropped the stake and just covered his face with his hand.

"Iver!" Osric was already at his side, getting a grip on the human. Dean didn't move, his hand remained over his eyes and every breath seemed harder to take in. Iver dropped next to them, grabbing hold of Dean's other side and they carried him back to the house.

Everyone was moving, Dean heard the crackle of a fire and the clanking of metal and it was enough to draw him back and focus on Osric.

"Don't take my arm." he growled out.

"We don't have much of a choice."

"I didn't run." Dean argued. "I could have left you all...but I saved you."

He saw the conflict in Osric's eyes and then the other nodded. "You did."

He took hold of Dean's arm and held it up to his mouth. Teeth clamped around the wound and for an instant Dean thought he was going to bite his wrist clear off, but then he felt the sickening pull against his skin, against the very circulation of his blood, and he vaguely understood what was happening before passing out.

* * *

_**Thanks for the kind reviews! I have really enjoyed writing this one. More to come soon!**_

_**Riza.**_


	6. Chapter 6

Sam rolled to a stop in an empty parking lot, feeling his vision blurring and knowing how easily he and the Impala could end up in the ditch if he didn't try for a couple of hours of sleep. He shut out the street lights and traffic noises, but the sudden violent rapping on the window had him jolting too at once. He took a breath of chill air and opened the door when he saw the cane that rested against the glass.

"Sam." Death greeted. He was alone in the dead of the night.

"H-hi." Sam couldn't help the well of nervousness growing inside of him. Not only was this Death and that one small touch could kill him, but everything he'd worked toward depended on this being before him. Death could chose to destroy everything he'd accomplished or he could chose to make it all work.

"You have been dealing with the Alpha Vampire."

"...Yeah. He asked me to take something to Purgatory for him."  
"I know."

"Is that a problem?"

"I don't much care about what he wishes to put into Purgatory. It is the creatures who want out that bother me."

"The Leviathan?"

"They are among the many hordes that wish to escape." Sam waited for him to elaborate, but he did not.

"I'm sorry, are you saying you won't help?"

"I think the question is why should I? What is in it for me?"

Yes, in most cases, Sam expected this question, but Death was strange, he had put up the wall in his mind even after Dean had failed in the task he'd given him. He didn't seem to be motivated by self interest and so the question threw Sam, but he knew the horseman's question was not rhetorical, he really wanted to see if Sam could piece it together.

"Well, you've helped us in the past. You and Dean have a sort of and understanding...do you need him?"

"Do I need a human? It's an interesting thought. But a Winchester, well, now, does the world need them? That is the question I have been weighing. The two of you certainly seem unable to function without the other, so if I was to decide you were useful here, then I would need you both. However, the old ones have returned to Purgatory, I do not wish to risk their return."

Sam's breath caught, but the thin man continued. "Yet now, the demons once again threaten the balance of life and death. The self-named Demon King has plans, and I am afraid that I have escorted too many souls that may have stood up against him."

"So you will help."

"If you follow my every word, and remember, you cannot cheat death."

"I will."

"Good. Then I will give you my ring. Use it to kill those you have captured and you will be carried to Purgatory with them."

"Okay, so how do I get back?"

"Through a holy vessel."

"So I need to go find one? What is it?"  
"No need to look, Sam, you already have one."

"What?"

"A prophet once wrote that it was 'pretty much the most important object in the whole universe'." Sam followed his gaze and looked behind him to the Impala. "I find that rather amusing, but the fact remains, that car has been your vehicle through some of the world's most powerful events and it has contained some extremely powerful souls. So, I suppose it will do." He snapped his fingers, Sam wasn't sure what happened, nothing seemed to change except for Death's expression to one of finality. "There. It is done. Only those contained within this vehicle will be able to leave Purgatory."

"So I'm going to drive my car into Purgatory, grab Dean and then what? How do I get back?"

"You will have to reap a soul. Put on the ring, act as a Reaper and take that soul where it would have gone if it had not been made a monster."

"So, go to Heaven or Hell?"

"Chose the soul carefully."

"Alright, assuming we make it to Heaven?"

"Then it is beyond my power. I guess, you will just have to have a little faith." He smiled cryptically. Death had made Dean do what he wanted in order to teach him to respect the balance of life and death; was this another lesson or was Sam literally going to have to wing it once he got them out.?

"Okay." He held out his hand for the ring but Death reached inside his lapel first. "There is one last thing."

When he saw what Death produced, old memories of love mixed with painful betray and hurt rushed back and he couldn't help that his eyes widened when he saw the small crafted amulet hanging on the worn cord.

"Dean's necklace."

"It will help you find him."

"I thought it was supposed to find god or something?"

Death said nothing, and just continued to hold out the necklace so Sam accepted it, pulling it over his head.

"I'll want this back, Sam Winchester." Death now offered up his ring.

"Of course." He took it but did not put it on. He would only use that power when the time came.

"Thanks."

But the street was empty. He looked back to the silver ring adorned with the white stone but it seemed light compared to heavy weight around neck. "I'm coming Dean." He whispered to night air. "Just hold on."

* * *

"Yes, it's still there." Aliyah smiled when she found Dean awake and lifting a thickly bandaged forearm up. She opened the shutters and let the false light reveal the truth. His hand and arm were fully intact, though his fingers that poked out at the end of the bandage looked very swollen and a dull throb radiated out from his wrist.

"Osric sucked the poison out?"

"He did. For once our ability could be used to help you." She smiled down at him. "Thank you, for saving me."

"You still died, didn't you?"

"I did, but that pain—even though I knew I couldn't die here in Purgatory, in that moment I just wanted it to end. And then you made it stop."

He just nodded. He was still torn up with himself for coming back, for choosing the sanctuary of monsters. "Has there been any news? Any sign from Eve or Dick?"

"No. I mean...maybe you should talk to Osric about it."

"What, about how the Levi's are cool with you guys taking care of me? I kind of overheard something about that. So what's the deal?"

"The deal, Dean," Osric pushed through the open door, "Is that I keep you alive and where they know to find you so that I can become strong and rule over Purgatory."

"Why do they want you to rule?"  
"They don't care what I do, because they have no intention of staying. They want out when you go."

"Of course they do." He moaned. "But they are souls now."

"Doesn't matter, they can still wreak havoc on your world. They just need a vessel."

Dean thought about this for a second. "Cas. Dammit they want to ride Cas back don't they?"

"Yes." He remembered that face, right before the attack, paler even than his own, blood staining his trench.

"Where is he? Has he been here?"

"Not since he saw you at the well."  
"They already have him?"

"There is no way to tell."

"Damn." Dean sat up, feeling tenderness all through his body. He had very nearly bit it, and his body was telling him so. Aches and pains that were normal hazards of a hunter's life were amplified by the total drain on his system from the sickness and blood loss. Still, he knew he should be feeling even worse.

"How long was I asleep?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Four days."

Another four days lost in this damn bed, he thought. Meanwhile, Sam could come barging in here at any second and the Levis would be jumping Cas and then hitchhiking back with him. He had to come up with some sort of plan before his brother got here. He didn't even consider the possibility that Sam _wouldn't_ find a way into Purgatory, and, after all the the brothers had endure, why shouldn't he believe that?

"There's nothing you can do." Osric warned, reading his thoughts. "I think you've finally accepted that remaining with us is no where near as unpleasant as being kept by the Leviathan. Don't try to foil their plans, they will get their way in the end and you will only hurt yourself and my family if you try to escape or fight them."

"So you're saying just lie back and let it happen? Let those scumbags back into my world just so I can get home? No, I'll stay in OZ with the freaking flying monkeys before I tap my heels and take them home with me."

Osric may not have understood the references, but he certainly caught the meaning.

"You have no choice, Dean. No matter what may have transpired a few days ago, this is my house, you are under my protection _and _my control. I will not allow you to jeopardize my plans, so don't tempt me to make things more unpleasant for you."

"And here I thought we'd come to an understanding." Dean narrowed his eyes but Orsic held his gaze steady.

"We have, otherwise, you'd be in chains." He stood. "So I suggest you behave."

Dean watched the vampire leave with growing anger. Aliyah had remained fixed in the background the whole time and Dean's focus returned to her but he said nothing. After a moment, she left too.

"Shit." But instead of giving in to the weight of frustration and his wounds, he pulled back the sheets to take stalk of himself.

Not as bad as it could have been, he thought looking over the many superficial wounds and bruises on his body collected during the attack, his abduction and the three hour journey getting back here. He'd killed his way through a number of creatures but they were all the wild, mindless beasts of multiple regenerations. He understood that he had only survived the trip back because enough of the intelligent creatures here still listened to orders and one giant Dick had told them all that the was off limits. He hated thinking that his existence here was only because of that black slime.

He looked with disappointment to the clothes piled by his bed. He had insisted on wearing them when the Vamps had brought him other clothes like their own. Osric saw no reason to deny his request so he had clung to the last bit of home he had, but now, looking to the tattered pile he knew he had to let that go. It was in thinking this and sitting half naked on his bed that the chair with his folder ruined clothes became blocked by other blood stained and ragged ones.

"I brought you these." Cas stood before him, a massive stain of crimson on his left side but he didn't seem to even notice it as he held out the folded garments in his hand.

"CAS!" Dean forgot his many injuries and swung his legs over the bed and stood. He grasped he other's face between his hands in unadulterated relief and happiness. "You're here. You're alright."

"Dean, I should be saying the same to you." He pushed the clothes into Dean's chest and the human looked down on them with a frown.

"Where did you get these?" He unfolded a pair of jeans and a grey t-shirt, a Tommy Hilfiger logo confirmed that they were manufactured in his world.

"Many things get drug over here, it seems, when souls pass from one realm to another. I have even found a game of Uno."

"Wow, Cas that's great but what happened to you?" Dean asked as he pulled the clothes on, a bit baggy on his wasted frame but more comfortable than anything the vampires wore. "I thought you were hurt."

"Though I am cut off from heaven, my tolerance for injuries is still far above that of a human, Dean. Eve caught me by surprise but I am alright. And you?"

"Getting there." Dean said as he pulled his shirt over his head with a grunt of pain. When he was done he looked back at the angel hard. "Cas, I need you to stay this time."

"What's wrong?"

"They think Sam is coming for me, I mean, of course he's going to try, and even though it's been so long, it's like I can feel him pounding at the door, you know? Eve made her move, something must have prompted it, it's like an energy building in the air."

"You are more perceptive than I thought."

"So it's true. Sam is trying to get through."

"Any day now, I think, the walls of Purgatory will come crashing in. Of course, I have no idea if it is Sam, for all we know it could be Crowley."

"Whoever it is, Cas, I want you to stay. The Leviathan are going to try to get back to Earth through you."

"You want to protect me, Dean?"

"I don't know, I just want.. to keep an eye, alright? And besides, I could use a little protecting myself, I don't really know what's going to happen when the wall breaks, but right now, I'm not up for much." He sat back on the bed emphatically. "So?"  
"Dean, I have already explained-"

"No. Cas, I am asking you to stay here. So no excuses, just give me an answer."

"Alright. I will stay."

Eyes shut in relief. "Thank you."

"What about Bobby?"

"He helped me get away from Eve, but he was pulled back. Is there anything you-"

Before he could finish his sentence he was taking to a blank wall. He waited in silence, expecting Cas to reappear with the ghost in tow but as the minutes ticked by he started to realize the more likely truth. Like Cas had said, he could only stay focused for so long.

"So much for staying..." He sighed deep. What good was having a guardian angel when you were the one who always had to do the rescuing?

* * *

Lights came on sharp and bright. The warehouse lit up and a scruffy man stepped before the whirring Camera.

"Three, two and" the cameraman gave the signal and all fell silent. "Tonight, dear viewers, the Ghostfacers present to you the most astounding voyage into the supernatural yet. In a daring deal with Death and monsters, we have worked tirelessly for this moment, when will transport a human into the realm between life and death: Purgatory." The camera paused in dramatic silence before revolving to the side and focusing on a second man.

"That's right, Ed. Sam Winchester will be carried over to Purgatory in the wake of all the powerful souls we have collected. He will kill them with Death's ring and he and the holy vessel, a 1967 Impala, will be transported to a realm where no human has ever stepped foot."

"Wait, Cut!" Ed moved from his spot in a fit of annoyance. "If Dean is already there, then that's not true, Sam isn't the first human to step foot. Plus, the whole thing with the Impala as a holy vehicle is garbage, I want a good shot of Death's ring and some of the monsters, Spruce, follow us through that door."

"He nodded to the heavily chained door beyond which all the ghosts, beheaded Leviathan, etc, were kept awaiting the moment of truth.

"No way, we aren't allowed in there. Besides Sam will be here any-"  
The engine's rumble was sign enough that the rest of their group had arrived. Maggie hurried over to open the warehouse doors and let them in. The black Chevy rolled in and came to a stop before their set-up.

"What the Hell is this?" Sam asked, the camera still rolling in Spruce's hands. "Are you making a Ghostfacer's episode?"

"After everything we've done for you, I think you can give us this!" Ed argued. "My sister was nearly eaten by a ghoul! And poor Harry has to live the rest of his life without his pinky finger!"  
Sam sighed, it was really the least of his worries tonight and he moved around the car to give Missouri a hand out.

"I see no problem in documenting the events of tonight, Sam." Becky brushed past him and reached a hand out to Ed who took it. Sam had been so relieved when her attention had turned from him to the little man who didn't look all that different from Becky's last relationship, Chuck.

"Fine, whatever." He groaned. "You know, you guys don't all have to be here." He looked to Charlie who was generally nervous about field work but now seemed rather confident and resolute.  
"No way Sam, we all worked hard for this, now we all want to see it through."  
"Okay good. But you better stay back, last thing I need is more people getting sucked into Purgatory."

"Right." They all took up their positions except Ed who moved forward with a sign to Spruce to keep rolling.

"Wait, Sam, is there anything you want to say before you go."

"Yeah, actually there is." He turned back to them all, ignoring the camera. "Thank you, everyone, for doing this. I thought I was alone, but, I guess I was very wrong. I just wanted to say that in case-"

"In case nothing." Missouri spoke. "Sam, it doesn't take a seer to know that you and your brother will always make it through. So go find him and bring him home."

"Yeah, I will."

"Wait, Sam!" Ed pressed. "You never said what the Vampire Alpha wanted you to take."  
Sam glanced in the back seat and Spruce leaned in to focus on a black box outline in white symbols and markings.

"Huh. What is it?" he asked behind the view finder.

"I can't open it, I don't know."  
"Then why bother taking it? You got what you needed from him."

"Because he promised not to come slaughter all of you when I'm gone as long as I take it through. So be glad I am."  
Ed laughed nervously. "Yeah, okay, no arguments here."

"Good, then if you're done making your movie, it's time I go." He opened the door but the collective gasp from his friends and "tsk tsk" noise coming from directly behind him made him stop.

"Oh Sam, did you really think I would just let you go?" He turned to see Crowley, Spruce and Ed had run back several feet though the camera was still shakily on them. "Though I must say your work is impressive. And getting Death on your side, well, I guess that is an annoying trend you have."

He narrowed his eyes at the demon king and his hand twitched to reach what was in his pocket.

"Don't even bother, Sam." Crowley snapped his fingers and suddenly the room was flooded with demons. "Your friends will be dead before you can even put that ring on your finger."

"What difference does it make to you, Crowley? Just let me go."

"What difference, Sam? Well as much as your dynamic duo has entertained me over the years, I have no need for Dean Winchester to come back here and for you two to start causing trouble for me again. No, Dean can rot in Purgatory and you can rot here, or die, whichever, it doesn't really matter to me. So sorry, kid, but this just isn't happening."  
Sam clenched his jaw but he was stuck.

"Hey Crowely!" Both Sam and the King of Hell turned to look at the petite blond who held up her phone.

"Becky, stay out of this." Sam warned.

"Yes, darling, let's not make this unpleasant."

But she hit a button and there was a burst of garbled noise. The Demons lurched, clutched their chests and then in violent heaves the black smoke issued out of their hosts and left them to collapse on the floor. Crowley stood alone and stunned while Becky smiled.

"There's an app for that."

Sam slid his hand into his pocket and reached for Crowley at the same time.

"You little asshole." The demon disappeared before Sam could make contact. They were once again alone.

"What the hell did you do?" Sam breathed out, looking to Becky and her phone.

"Get with the times, Sam, Hunter apps. Charlie and I made them. One click and the incantation to expel demons is read out in a high frequency burst, two seconds, I honestly don't know how you hunters have survived this long."

"I could kiss you."

"HEY!" Ed stepped between them when he saw her face light up. "Weren't you going?"

"Ah, yeah." Sam turned back to the car and got in. "I'm going to do it from out here, I should be close enough to their souls even through the door." He rolled the Impala forward until the nose was against the chained off section of the warehouse. "See you all on the other side, I hope."

He sat back, and, after a thought, buckled up. He glanced their worried faces in the rear view mirror but he held out his hand and felt the power of Death's ring doing its work. A pulse of energy washed out over him and the car and a building white light grew around him. The onlookers were lost to the blinding power and then he was holding on tight to the steering wheel and watching the world fall away.

* * *

**Thanks for the reviews, just a little bit left!**

**Riza**


	7. Chapter 7

Dean looked up sharply from the kitchen table when the door flew in. Osric had his arm under Cane who was bleeding heavily along his neck.

"What happened?" He asked startled, but Osric dropped his son into a chair and moved past Dean to the cupboard where they stored the needle and hose. "Whoa, I'm still barely standing after your last feed."

"He was already killed because of you, Dean, and you know the cost of dying, I'm not going to let him suffer that again because of you."

He grabbed Dean's arm and despite his attempt to jerk it back Osric held steady and punctured his skin. Immediately his blood filled the tube and he held the other end up to Cane's lips. Dean had to look away, he always did, the whole situation was just too repulsive for him.

"What happened?" He asked again as he stared at the wall.

"A Vampire named Gordon came looking for you."

At this Dean turned back to Osric. "Oh. I should have guessed he'd come for me."

"He was pretty angry. It took both of us to put him down and even still he managed this much damage."

"Well I wasn't a fan of his but he was still a hunter."

He felt a wave of nausea and looked to Cane. The wound at his neck was already closed over. "Yo, enough." Osric took the end of the tube from Cane.

"Return to watch." He instructed his son, but instead of pulling the needle from Dean's arm he started to drink from the tube.

"Hey, I'm passing out here." Dean tried but could not dislodge. "Osric, enough."

Only when he saw black on the edge of his vision did he feel the needle slide out. "Don't worry Dean." Osrick said as he put his arms under him, to pull him up. "That was the last time I will feed on you."

"Wha..." the world was spinning and his head was definitely sitting too lightly on his shoulders.

Osric kept him upright, a hand over his chest, feeling the thrumming of his heart with a mixture of lust and anger. "Can't you feel it, Dean? The pounding at the wall? The roar at the gate?"

"Osric, what are you-"

There.

Not a pounding, not a roar, but a _rumble._ The sound of a V8 327 four barrel pumping liquid fuel through a 275 horsepower. The sound of his home, his family.

"Baby?" But the rumble turned to thunder, the false sunlight to white bright lightening and even through the kitchen shutters Dean winced back from the force of power that broke the atmosphere.

When it ended, he came up blinking, and Osric let him stumble to the door.

"I've lost it." he breathed out, letting the low growl of the engine invigorate that longing inside of him to hit the road, the sense of freedom. He basked in the memories of a life of pain and suffering because they were the best days of his life and he knew this image before him could not be real so why not indulge?  
But instead of fading to black like he expected, the image of his beloved Impala sitting in the hay field by the well did not fade. No, the fantasy even got more elaborate when he watched the door open and stared at that broad open face, those brown, desperate eyes.

"...Sam?"

"Dean. DEAN!" His younger brother crossed the distance in seconds. Meanwhile Dean tried to reach him but stumbled against the door and before he could reach the front steps a hand caught him around the back of the neck and stilled him. Osric kept firm hold of him until Sam came to a stop a few feet away, reading the threat.

"Let my brother go." Sam commanded, not even sure what kind of monster had Dean in its clutches. He was taking in Dean's thin frame, pale skin, one arm wrapped tight and blood dripping down the other while his eyes struggling to focus on what was in front of him.

"Not until you give me what my brother sent." Osric commanded.

"What?" Sam's eyes narrowed before widening. "You're a vampire."  
"Yes. And I have no doubt my brother was aware of your crossing, he most likely even helped you do it. So where is what he sent?"

"In the car." Sam glanced between Osric and Dean before taking a step back, "I'll get it."

"Good."

Dean was still not sure if this was all just some sort of trick of his blood deprived brain as he watched his brother run back over the field and fish something out of the back seat.

"Stay with us, Dean." Osric warned. "You're not out of Oz yet."

The porch filled up with the family, Larissa's eyes widened when she saw the car.

"What is that?"

"A holy vessel." Osric answered.

"A classic car." Aliyah amended.

"That, is a 1967 Chevrolet Impala." Dean grunted out.

"So it's true. His brother did come for him." Khaira leaned against the rail. "And he brought it with him."

"What?" Dean asked. "What is it? Who's your brother?"

"Not all monsters have only one Alpha, Dean." Osric let go of him when he saw Sam coming back with the box. Barely able to stand on his own, Dean fell against the rail as well.

"You?" Dean asked Osric. "You were an alpha?"

"A twin. You have met my brother, no?"

"Yeah. So what, he sent you a gift?"

"Like I said, I want Purgatory for the Vampires, and as hard as he tries, some day, my brother will be sent here too. So he sent me some things to help get everything ready for him."

"Here it is." Sam held out the black box. "Let me take Dean."

Osric walked down the steps and accepted the box. "Dean Winchester," He turned back to his family and his prisoner, "it is time for you to leave our company."

Dean met those cold brown eyes for the last time. He had studied Osric all these weeks and the man still managed to surprise him.

"Osric...the king of Oz." He whispered, slipping off the rail and half falling down the steps. Strong arms reached out to catch him and he let himself be held upright, taking in the musty scent of Sam's coat, his fingers wrapping tight into the fabric at his back. "Sammy." he breathed into his younger brother's chest, "you're really here?"

"Yeah, Dean. I'm taking you home."

"Back to Aunty Em?"

"Just three clicks, Dean, and we're back in Kansas. Come on."  
"Mmm." They started moving forward but Dean's hand clenched at his back. "Wait."  
"What is it?"

"You can take us back?"

"Yeah?"

"Aliyah."

"Who?"

But he turned back to the family. "Aliyah...she was only a vamp for two months in our world."

"Dean I-" But whatever Sam was going to say was lost with the girl's own protest.

"No Dean. I killed in that time. I don't know what judgement might be made but I don't want to go back to being a vampire there and I don't know what afterlife I might face. This is my family."

"Okay." He said, slumping against Sam even more and giving a half wave back at the vampires on the porch. "Then yippee ki-yay, blood suckers."

Sam was relieved the girl had declined, he wasn't sure what relationship Dean had formed with her but he had no intention of bringing home one of Dean's captors. He half carried his brother back to the car, leaving the vampire family behind them.

"Baby." Dean fell against the hood, absorbing the heat of her black paint. "I missed you."

"Hey, you know it was me who came to rescue you and not the car." Sam interjected, but he was looking around. "Dean, where's Cas?"

"Shit." Dean tried to push himself up but only got part way and Sam took hold of shoulders to get him sitting on the hood. "Hey Cas-"

The words barely got out from slurred lips before the angel appeared.

"Sam." Cas said nonchalantly. "We were waiting." Only then did Sam looked past the trench coated angel to see his pale faced friend.

"Bobby!"

"Hey kid." the ghost clapped a hand on his shoulder. "So whad'ya do to get yourself in here?"

"No time," Sam got his arms around Dean again, "I made a big entrance, things will be coming our way, right?"

"Indeed." Cas nodded. "They are nearly here."  
"Then everyone inside." Sam instructed. He threw open the passenger door and got Dean propped in the seat before sliding behind the wheel himself. Castiel and Bobby fell in the back.

"Lock the doors."

"Sam, I don't think-"

"Do it Bobby."  
They all did. There was a clink of something more powerful than forty year old locks sliding into place and Cas smiled. "This is a holy vessel."

"Yeah, so it seems."

"Would someone explain just what is going on here?" Bobby demanded. "Tell me you have a plan, Idget."

"I do." Sam pulled out Death's ring. "Death said that only the souls inside this vessel would be able to leave through his power."

"How?"

"By riding on the wave of a reaped soul."

"Bobby?" Dean asked, head heavy against the seat. "You want to use Bobby."

"No! I mean, I didn't know he would be here. Death just said I had to pick a soul and to chose wisely."

"Well I'd bet on Bobby any day." Dean slurred out.

"Whoa now," Bobby raised his hands, "You boys don't know the half of what I've done over the years."

"Bobby, no offence, but as the only one in this car who has not seen Hell, trust us, you do not belong there." Sam reassured.

"It's true." Cas smiled. "Bobby Singer, you sacrificed much of your life for the will of God."

"The Will of God?" The ghost scoffed, "Listen here fairy wings-"

"Bobby!" Dean shut his eyes in an attempt to keep the world from spinning. "He's trying to say you fought for good, for us. I don't care what else you did, my money is on you so roll the freaking dice, Sammy, and take us home."

Sam looked to his mentor. Bobby nodded.

"Okay." He slipped on the ring.

"Well boys, it's been a ride." Bobby smiled at them. "I guess if I do end up in Heaven, it means I'll see you there some day. But not too soon, mind you!"

He brushed a cold hand through Dean's hair and then took hold of Sam's outstretched palm. "Okay, son, let's do this."

"Okay, everyone, buckle up."

* * *

"Dean."

"Mmm?"

"Dean wake up."

"Sam...?" He came too slowly, trying to blink back the brightness, but it wouldn't go away. "Where are we?"

Sam put a hand around his shoulders to steady him as he sat up. "Heaven, I think."

"Huh?" Dean had been waiting for everything to come back into focus but it didn't. They were simply in what seemed to be a pure white void. "But the last time we were here there was stuff."

"Yeah.. here." He gave him a hand up and Dean just noticed what hung on his neck when he saw the bright glow.

"Sam is that-"

"Your amulet." The taller Winchester looked down at the brightly glowing pendant and then back to his brother. "Death said it would lead me to you."

"But Cas said it would lead straight to-"

"Hello boys." The voice was far from that of an almighty being, but they still jumped in surprise and turned to see the short figure dressed in all white. Even here, he had that scruff of a beard that suggested long nights without sleep and long day of too much to drink.

"Chuck?" They said together.

"Sam, Dean." He nodded to them.

"Are...Are you God?" Dean stammered out.

A funny smile overtook the prophet's face. "You know, Dean, I don't think I'm going to answer that question."

"You have to be, though, if you're here, and this thing is practically on fire."

Chuck shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. My work on earth ended when the two of you stopped the apocalypse. Maybe I am God, maybe I was just waiting to see what happened. Or maybe I just got called back, so I could be here when you needed me. As for the necklace, Dean, ask your fallen friend about it sometime. It might heal more than a few wounds."

"What?"

"I take it, you two don't intend to stay."

"Can you send us back?" Sam asked.

Chuck nodded. "The others are waiting for you anyway. Back at the beginning of the story. Back where it all began."

"Bobby and Cas?"

"They are they belong, Sam. And make sure you return that ring to Death. I think he'll be happy, with the way things turned out. See you later, Sam. And Dean, you look like Hell."

The alcoholic writer gave a wave, the white-washed world turned to black before a pale grey light took its place and Sam held tighter to his weakened brother when hot lights struck them and they blinked in near blindness and stumbled on the uneven ground.

"SAM! DEAN!"

"Ah, what's going on?" Dean raised an arm to shield himself from the lights and noise.

"Are you getting this?" Someone was screaming excitedly, "Spruce, tell me you got them returning!"  
"Is that really them?"

"Boys, you're home."

The many voices were lost to them both as they stood dazed in the front yard of their old house in Lawrence.

"...why am I being filmed?" Dean finally sputtered before his knees gave way and Sam caught him under the arms and eased him down to ground.

"Dean!"

"Sam, what's going on?" he moaned out until the lights were blocked by a body and a concerned face loomed down on them. "M-Missouri?"

"Yes, Dean, you're home."

"Are we in Lawrence?"

"Mhm."

"Huh." His eyes closed and he became dead weight in Sam's arms.

"Dean?" His breath was even, he was just unconscious. Sam looked to the crowd, realizing they were all there. "How did you know? How did you know we'd come back here?"

"Because they did." Missouri turned. Past the glaring light that Harry held on him, he squinted in the dusk and saw the black shine of the Impala and next to it Cas.

"Cas made it back, too. Good."

"He wasn't the only one, Idget."

The voice came from beside him. His eyes worked their way up those worn jeans and that scruffy vest to see that rye smile.

"BOBBY!"

"Back in the pink." He said kneeling down next to him. Sam reached out a hand and rested it against Bobby's cheek just to make sure, to feel the warmth of living flesh.

"How?"

"Beats me. I saw some little bearded man in a white room who said he was a friend of yours. Said he didn't think you two could muddle on without me and that you still had work to do."

"Chuck...huh."

"Anyway, that can wait, we gotta get this kid some help." He took Dean's other side and all the friends Sam had pulled together came to their sides to help them.

* * *

"Here." Sam held out the cup of machine brewed coffee but Bobby drank it back like it was the world's best.

"Mmm. Funny how much you miss the little perks in life when you're smoke in the air."

"Yeah, how do you feel?"

"Same as I did before I got shot in the head by the world's biggest Dick."

"Good." but the content in his voice was lost with a worried edge and they both turned back to the figure in the bed.

"He'll be okay." Bobby put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Trust me, if you'd seen what he'd done on the other side to survive, you'd be as confident as me."

"Yeah, I just don't get why Chuck could give you your life back, but he couldn't heal Dean."

"I'm afraid he left that task to me." Cas appeared next to the bed, a tall glass of an orange-red drink in his hand. He had disappeared shortly after their return from Purgatory yesterday.

"Cas." But the angel ignored him and spoke to the inert form in the bed.

"Dean, wake up."

Somehow the words penetrated Dean's exhausted, feverish sleep. In the day since he'd been admitted he'd gotten sicker from infection and the overall drain of his system. But his eyes parted now and it took him several long moments to piece together where he was.

"Drink this."

"Hng?" but Dean was being drug into a sitting position and he feebly grasped at the glass and tipped it back.

"Is that going to make him better?" Sam asked Cas.

"No, I just discovered that the combination of orange juice, grenadine and tequila is perhaps one the most delicious drinks in the entire world." Sam swooped forward to pull the glass back from Dean and grabbed Cas by the collar.

"Are you serious? I thought you came here to heal him."

"Ah, yes." Can extended a hand and touched Dean on the forehead. In an instant he was transformed from the pale, thinned young man back to his former strength and health, the many injuries vanished, not a bite mark or needle trace left. He sat and looked around, finally pulled out of his fog and the relief was plain on his face.

"You did it." Sam breathed out.

"Hey, I'll finish that drink now." Dean leaned forward and reclaimed the tequila sunrise, knocking it back without hesitation and then clapping Cas on the shoulder. "You know what, after months in Purgatory, I think you're right, Cas, best damn drink in the world."

The angel smiled. "I'm glad you are feeling better, Dean."

Dean looked back at Sam and Bobby. As hazy as he'd been in the last twenty four hours, he had made out that Bobby was back, alive and well. But of all the miracles performed, Cas was still as crazy as ever.

"It was not God's will." Cas answered the unspoken question. "I removed Sam's madness at a cost. Lucifer was put back in his cage, at cost. If there were no costs to what we do, the world wouldn't make sense."

"But Bobby is back."

"Because you, Dean Winchester, need him. And God still needs you, it would seem."

"God...Chuck. Cas, is Chuck God? My amulet was burning bright, so it has to be him right?"

An odd expression passed over Castiel's face and he looked to the necklace hanging next to the bed.

"It is curious." he said, "I do not know if the prophet could truly be our King, I have never seen God and I returned from Purgatory without encountering the same white space Sam described to me."

"But if the necklace was glowing-"  
"It glows in the presence of God." Cas finished. "I do not believe that the prophet was indeed God."

"But you just said-"

"Sam, you crossed into Purgatory to save your brother. Dean, you endured everything over there to return to your brother. What greater proof of God is there than the love you two felt for each other in that moment of reunion?"

"What are you saying?"

"God in three persons, Dean. God, as I have always believed, is inside all believers. You may not believe in him, but you believe in each other and that at the end of the day, you believe in what is good. So Dean and Sam Winchester, I believe, you did find God."

"What the hell kind of philosophical bologna are you trying to feed us? The boy asked you a question, Cas, can't you give him a straight answer after all of this?" Bobby interrupted.

"Bobby," Dean intervened. "It's fine. We're all here. That's all I care about right now.  
"Yeah." Sam nodded. "We are." But there was a distinct edge to the way he said it and they all looked to him.

"What?" Bobby asked.

"Nothing."

Dean straightened on his bed, looking his brother dead on. "Seriously, dude, just spill."

"It's just...when has anything ever worked out like this for us? Like Cas said, there is _always _a cost. We've never come out of anything this easily before. Not without someone dying, or losing their soul...it just makes me uneasy."

Dean stood up, unused to feeling so strong and alive, but he met his brother's gaze seriously and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You saved me, Sam. You did a good job. Let's just leave it at that. Let's just be happy for once."

Sam nodded. "Yeah. Okay."

"Good. Then can someone get me some real clothes so I can go get a burger. I'm starving."

* * *

"Sir, the new recruits are waiting."

The dark eyes of the Vampire Alpha lifted from the papers he had been examining.

"Excellent. Any more news of the Winchesters?"

"Dean Winchester left the hospital yesterday. They are still in Kansas. No sign that still have the box."

"Good. Now then, let's meet these new recruits."

"Yes sir."

The subordinate opened a door and five freshly turned vampires entered. One still had blood smeared around his mouth, another was practically shaking with the need to feed.

"Hello." The alpha addressed them. "Do you all understand what has happened to you?"

"We're...vampires?" A young girl, no more than seventeen, answered. He raised a fatherly hand to cup her pale face.

"That is correct. Tell me, have any of you fed?" The others shook their heads. He stared down on her. "And you dear?" She also shook her head no. He smiled. "That is very good."

He swooped on her, his teeth biting down on her neck, crunching deep into her flesh. He tore through the cords of her neck, through her throat, the only sound she ever made was a startled grunt. Within seconds she was dead. He let her drop, the others had backed up, but the cold calm of the Alpha's eyes assured them all they were just as dead as the girl on the floor.

When he finished, his office floor strewn with young bodies, he wiped his mouth and met the startled gaze of his subordinate.

"Sir...why? What did they do?"

"Nothing. That is precisely what I needed of them."

"I don't understand."

"You know the box I sent with Sam Winchester to my brother Osric."

"Yes?"

"It contains the ingredients for a cure to vampirism. It will only work, however, if the person who takes it has not yet fed on human blood. Dean Winchester once took it. How interesting that it would be through him that I could send it to my brother."

The subordinate thought this over before understanding struck him and his features turned from confusion to awe-struck.

"That's right." The alpha continued. "I have just sent the first five over to Osric. He will find them, and turn them back to humans. They will be the first stock."

"Humans in Purgatory..."

"And their population will only grow in time. Osric will keep their numbers growing until there are enough for all Vampires to feed, to grow strong. Purgatory no longer belongs to the Leviathan. It is no longer their paradise, but ours. You my son, have just witnessed the creation of Heaven."

"Father..." the vampire breathed reverently and bowed, "praise you."

* * *

Metal clanked on china and everyone at the table looked to it's head where Dean half choked on the turkey he'd been chewing.

"Dean honey?" Missouri lay a hand on his shoulder but he passed it off.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"Dean?" Sam pressed on his other side. Bobby too leaned over his plate of Turkey and vegetables slathered in Missouri's home made gravy. None at the celebratory meal could ignore the look nearing horror on the young man's face.

"I'm good." Dean reassured. "I just sort of...got a chill or something."

"What, like a ghost?" Bobby pushed back and grabbed the salt shaker.

"No! No, Bobby sit down, I'm fine. It's probably just indigestion or something." To prove that he was fine he stuck his fork back in his mouth, and after a moment, everyone did the same.

The meal ended, it was time for people to start saying their good byes. The Ghostfacers, with their newest addition, Becky, left first. Charlie headed out shortly after with the promise to stay in touch. Bobby went to the spare room, saying he'd eaten too much and was ready for a good night's sleep and soon Missouri retired as well.

Alone at the table, a pair of beers in their hands, the brothers sat in silence. They didn't know where they would go from here. It had been a long time since they had just been hunters, and not had something greater looming over their heads. Still, though, a weight hung in the atmosphere.

"Dean. What really happened at supper?"

"I don't know. It was just like, a bad feeling or something."  
"You sure?"

"Yeah, I guess maybe I understand what you meant yesterday, when you said like there should be more or something. A cost."

"Yeah, but I took your advice. We have each other, Bobby, our friends, we just need to let ourselves be happy for once."

"I know. I know. But doesn't it bother you too?"

Sam tried to hide it, but his brother always read right through him so he sighed. "Yeah, okay, maybe a little."

"Like what was in that box?"

"Yeah."

Dean nodded. His features were creased in thought, maybe even worry. Sam shook his head and took hold of Dean's shoulder.

"Hey. Forget it. We'll probably never find out. We might always wonder about it but after everything we got in return, don't you think maybe it's a small price to pay?"

"A small price to pay?" Dean echoed the words in a cold voice, the fist around his beer clenched tighter, making the tin snap as it dented. He noticed what he was doing and took a deep drink before letting out a long breath and nodding. "Yeah, it is." he rose, Sam did too, setting down his empty can.

"Dean you okay?"

"Yeah, bro, I am." He leaned forward and pulled Sam into hug. "Thanks, Sammy, for saving me."

"Of course." They pulled apart. "Now, couch or sleeping bag?"

"Neither." Dean went over to the door and pulled it open. "I miss my baby too much."

"Seriously? You _want_ to sleep in the car."

Dean just shrugged.

"Okay, fine, whatever, see you in the morning."

"Night."

Dean slipped out of the house and down the front steps. He ghosted a hand over the hood of the car before opening the door and getting in. He turned the key just a notch so that the stereo came on low. He leaned back against the worn seat, letting _Ramble On_ erase the last of his worry and unease. So he would never know what the Alpha gave to Osric, so what? He was here, in his baby. He was with his brother and Bobby. He never thought he'd be so happy to be back in Lawrence, so he wouldn't let one unanswered question spoil all that. He sighed contentedly and shut his eyes.

"There's no place like home."

-END-

* * *

_**Thanks for all those who read and reviewed. I loved writing this. I sincerely hope that the in the show we will see Bobby in Purgatory. I am very interested to see how it all unfolds this season, but this was my take on how things might go, so I hope you enjoyed. **_

_**Thanks!**_

_**Riza.**_


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